Translation guide
The English word 'nurse' can refer to a medical professional, the act of caring for someone, or feeding a baby. This guide covers how to express these meanings naturally in Japanese.
Referring to a nurse in a hospital or clinic.
Standard term for a nurse (gender-neutral).
彼女は看護師です。
She is a nurse.
Female nurse (older term, still used but less common).
母は看護婦として働いています。
My mother works as a nurse.
Loanword from English, often used in casual contexts or compound words.
ナースの仕事は大変だ。
A nurse's job is tough.
To look after someone who is ill or injured.
To nurse someone back to health, typically at home.
母を看病しています。
I'm nursing my mother.
To provide nursing care, often for the elderly or long-term patients.
祖母を介護するのは大変です。
Nursing my grandmother is hard.
To give medical treatment or first aid.
けがの手当てをした。
I nursed the injury.
To feed a baby with breast milk.
To breastfeed (formal/medical term).
赤ちゃんに授乳しています。
I'm nursing the baby.
Casual way to say 'breastfeed' (literally 'give breast').
赤ちゃんにおっぱいをあげた。
I nursed the baby.
To hold and sip a drink over a long time.
To sip slowly, often used for alcohol.
彼はビールをちびちび飲んでいた。
He was nursing a beer.
To drink for a long time without finishing.
彼女はカクテルをいつまでも飲んでいた。
She was nursing her cocktail.
To keep a negative feeling for a long time.
To harbor a grudge.
彼は長年恨みを抱いている。
He's been nursing a grudge for years.
To smolder (of resentment).
彼の心には怒りがくすぶっている。
He's nursing anger in his heart.
English uses 'nurse' as a verb for many meanings, but Japanese uses different verbs for each. Avoid directly translating 'nurse' as a single Japanese verb.