English–Japanese

“hungry” in Japanese

Japanese

Pronunciation

Romajikūfuku

Example

昼食前は空腹です。hiru shoku zen wa kū fuku de su

I am hungry before lunch.

Illustration for 空腹 (hungry)

How to say “hungry” in Japanese

“Hungry” in Japanese is 空腹 (kūfuku).

Describes the bodily state in which the need for food is felt.

Full entry for 空腹: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 空腹

夕方になると、いつも空腹になります。yū gata ni na ru to i tsu mo kū fuku ni na ri ma su

I always get hungry by evening.

Tips for using 空腹

  • In everyday Japanese, 空腹 (kūfuku) sounds more formal than お腹がすいた (onaka ga suita), so it often appears in neutral descriptions or writing.

“hungry” in other languages