noun
cold; flu; respiratory illness
Refers to the common cold or influenza; in everyday use, 風邪 typically means a cold, while インフルエンザ is used for flu. The broader medical sense 'inflammatory respiratory system illness' is rare in general conversation.
風邪をひいて、喉が痛い。
I caught a cold and my throat hurts.
風邪が治るまで、ゆっくり休んでください。
Please rest well until your cold gets better.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially in informal contexts.
Specifically influenza (flu), while 風邪 is a broader term for colds and mild respiratory illnesses.
The kanji 風 (wind) and 邪 (evil) combine to suggest illness caused by harmful wind, reflecting traditional Chinese medical concepts. The reading かぜ is a jukujikun, not derived from the individual kanji readings.