Sep 3, 2008

How to say, "I'm hungry" in Japanese

To say "I'm hungry" in Japanese use the following phrase -
o - naka ga suita

Naka is a generic word for things in the middle. The kanji for naka is very simple - 中. It looks like a box with a line drawn through it.


o - naka  織中 おなか - stomach, belly, midsection, torso, etc. Literally,  "the honorific middle".

Here are some uses of o-naka -

1. o - naka ga suita - I'm hungry
織中が空いた
おなかがすいた
2. o - naka ga itai  - I have a stomach ache.
織中が痛い
おなかがいたい
3. o - naka no ko - The expected child.
織中 の 子