Translation guide
How to express losing your temper in Japanese, from mild irritation to explosive rage, with natural phrases and cautions.
The most common way to say someone lost their temper, implying a sudden outburst of anger.
Literally 'start getting angry'. A natural, common way to say someone lost their temper.
彼は急に怒り出した。
He suddenly lost his temper.
Slang for snapping or losing it. Very common in casual speech.
あの人、すぐキレるよね。
That person loses their temper easily, huh.
Describes a sudden flare-up of anger, often over something trivial.
彼はちょっとしたことですぐかっとなる。
He loses his temper over the slightest thing.
Literally 'come to the head'. Means to get angry or pissed off. Often used when describing what made you angry.
彼の態度には本当に頭にきた。
I really lost my temper at his attitude.
Specifically refers to a temper tantrum, often used for children or childish outbursts.
子供が癇癪を起こして泣き叫んだ。
The child lost his temper and screamed.
Expressions for intense, explosive anger, often with visible or violent reactions.
Formal/literary word for 'become furious'. Common in writing and news.
社長はその報告に激怒した。
The president lost his temper over the report.
To rage, be beside oneself with anger. Stronger than 激怒する.
彼は怒り狂って机を叩いた。
He lost his temper and slammed the desk.
Very strong slang for completely losing it, blowing your top.
To be so enraged that you lose control, often leading to violence. Used in crime reports.
犯人は逆上して人質を取った。
The criminal lost his temper and took a hostage.
Focus on the expression of anger, such as yelling or acting out.
To yell in anger. Very common way to describe someone losing their temper verbally.
上司は大声で怒鳴った。
The boss lost his temper and yelled loudly.
To raise one's voice in anger. Slightly more formal than 怒鳴る.
彼は声を荒らげて反論した。
He lost his temper and raised his voice in objection.
To take out one's anger on people around you, snapping at everyone.
Emphasizes the loss of self-control rather than just anger.
Idiom: 'the string of the patience bag snaps'. Means one's patience has run out and they finally lose their temper.
ついに堪忍袋の緒が切れた。
I finally lost my temper.
To exceed the limits of patience. More literal and formal.
彼の無礼な態度に、我慢の限界を超えた。
His rude attitude made me lose my temper beyond my limits.
To lose one's cool/composure. Can be used in contexts where anger leads to poor decisions.
彼は冷静さを失って怒鳴り始めた。
He lost his temper and started yelling.
The literal translation '気性を失う' does not exist in Japanese. Avoid direct translation.
気性を失う
lose one's temper (incorrect)
キレる implies a sudden, often explosive loss of temper, while 怒る (おこる) simply means 'get angry' and can be a sustained state. キレる is slang and very common in casual speech.
In many contexts, simply saying 怒った (got angry) is sufficient. Adding adverbs like 急に (suddenly) or 激しく (violently) can convey the nuance of losing temper.
あの客、店員にブチ切れてたよ。
That customer totally lost his temper at the clerk.
彼は機嫌が悪くて、家族に当たり散らした。
He was in a bad mood and lost his temper, taking it out on his family.