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Meaning
“お腹を壊す” (onaka wo kowasu) and “腹を下す” (hara wo kudasu) both mean “to get an upset stomach” or “to have diarrhea.”
These are common Japanese expressions that describe experiencing digestive problems, particularly diarrhea or stomach troubles.
Literal translations:
- お腹を壊す = “to break one’s stomach”
- 腹を下す = “to lower one’s belly/stomach”
What they mean: Both expressions refer to digestive upset, specifically:
- Having diarrhea
- Experiencing stomach discomfort
- Getting food poisoning
- Having an upset digestive system
Usage differences:
- お腹を壊す is more commonly used in everyday conversation and is slightly more casual
- 腹を下す is a bit more formal or literary, though both are widely understood and used
Common causes mentioned with these phrases:
- Eating spoiled or contaminated food
- Eating too much cold food or drink
- Stress or nervousness
- Food that doesn’t agree with you
- Changes in water or climate when traveling
English equivalents:
- “To get an upset stomach”
- “To have diarrhea”
- “To get stomach trouble”
- “To have digestive problems”
- “To get a stomachache” (though this is less specific)
- Informal: “to have the runs” or “to get sick to one’s stomach”
Example context: “冷たいものを食べ過ぎてお腹を壊した” = “I ate too much cold food and got an upset stomach”
These expressions are polite enough to use in most situations, though they are direct about digestive issues. They’re commonly used when explaining why someone is absent, not feeling well, or needs to use the restroom frequently.
Example sentences
Here are 20 example sentences using お腹を壊す and 腹を下す with English translations:
お腹を壊す (onaka wo kowasu)
- 昨日食べた刺身が古かったのか、お腹を壊してしまった。 The sashimi I ate yesterday must have been old because I got an upset stomach.
- 冷たいものを飲み過ぎて、お腹を壊した。 I drank too much cold stuff and got diarrhea.
- 海外旅行で水が合わず、お腹を壊すことがよくある。 When traveling abroad, I often get stomach trouble because the water doesn’t agree with me.
- お腹を壊しやすいので、生ものは避けている。 I have a sensitive stomach, so I avoid raw food.
- ストレスでお腹を壊すタイプなんです。 I’m the type who gets an upset stomach from stress.
- 賞味期限切れの牛乳を飲んで、お腹を壊した。 I drank expired milk and got sick to my stomach.
- 子供がお腹を壊して、学校を休んだ。 My child got an upset stomach and stayed home from school.
- お腹を壊さないように、よく火を通して食べてください。 Please cook it thoroughly so you don’t get stomach trouble.
- 夏場は食べ物が傷みやすく、お腹を壊しやすい。 Food spoils easily in summer, so it’s easy to get an upset stomach.
- 試験前の緊張で、いつもお腹を壊してしまう。 I always get an upset stomach from nervousness before exams.
腹を下す (hara wo kudasu)
- 辛い料理を食べ過ぎて、腹を下した。 I ate too much spicy food and got diarrhea.
- 腹を下しているので、今日は外出できない。 I have diarrhea, so I can’t go out today.
- 旅行中に腹を下すと大変だから、気をつけて。 It’s terrible to get an upset stomach while traveling, so be careful.
- 彼は体調が悪く、腹を下しているようだ。 He seems to be unwell and has an upset stomach.
- 油っこいものを食べると、すぐに腹を下してしまう。 Whenever I eat greasy food, I immediately get diarrhea.
- 腹を下しやすい体質なので、食事には気を使っている。 I have a constitution prone to upset stomachs, so I’m careful about what I eat.
- 風邪をひいて、熱と共に腹を下した。 I caught a cold and got diarrhea along with a fever.
- 腹を下している時は、消化の良いものを食べた方がいい。 When you have an upset stomach, it’s better to eat easily digestible food.
- 緊張すると腹を下すので、大事な日は何も食べない。 I get diarrhea when I’m nervous, so I don’t eat anything on important days.
- 腹を下して会議を欠席することになってしまった。 I ended up missing the meeting because I had an upset stomach.
