Translation guide
Japanese expressions for sudden pain, equivalent to English "ouch" or "ow".
Express a sudden, sharp pain like stubbing a toe or getting a paper cut.
The most common and natural exclamation for sudden pain. A short, sharp sound.
痛っ！
Ouch!
A casual, slightly more masculine variant of 痛っ. Common in informal speech.
いてっ！
Ow!
A slightly softer or more drawn-out exclamation, often used by women or children.
あいたっ！
Ouch!
Literally "it hurts." Used as an exclamation, but less common for sudden pain than 痛っ. Can sound more like a statement.
Express sympathy or surprise when someone else gets hurt.
While 痛い (itai) means "painful," it is not the most natural exclamation for sudden pain. Use 痛っ (ita!) or いてっ (ite!) instead. 痛い is better for describing ongoing pain.
That hurts!
痛そう…
That looks painful...