Japanese word

熱

Pronunciation

Romajinetsu

Meaning

  • nounfever

Example

今日は熱があります。kyō wa netsu ga a ri ma su

I have a fever today.

Illustration for 熱 (fever)

More examples

かぜをひいて、熱があります。ka ze o hi i te netsu ga a ri ma su

I have a fever because I caught a cold.

薬を飲んだら、熱が下がりました。kusuri o no n da ra netsu ga sa ga ri ma shi ta

After I took the medicine, my fever went down.

Core concept

Expresses how hot something is, from ordinary physical warmth to a feverish rise in body temperature.

Common phrases

  • 熱があるnetsu ga a ru

    have a fever

  • 熱が出るnetsu ga de ru

    develop a fever

  • 熱が下がるnetsu ga sa ga ru

    fever goes down

  • 熱を測るnetsu o haka ru

    measure one's temperature

Similar words

発熱hatsunetsu: A rise in body temperature caused by illness.
高熱kōnetsu: A body temperature that is much higher than normal because of illness.
微熱binetsu: A slightly higher-than-normal body temperature caused by illness.

Definition in Japanese

病気などによって体温が平常より高くなった状態。byō ki na do ni yo tte tai on ga hei jō yo ri taka ku na tta jō tai

Word origin

The noun 熱 (netsu, "heat") uses a Chinese-derived reading and extends the character's basic sense of heat to bodily fever.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, 熱 (netsu, "fever") can also refer to physical heat, so context determines whether English uses fever or heat.

Other meanings

  • heatnoun
  • temperaturenoun

Opposites

  • 平熱heinetsunormal temperaturenoun

Related words

  • 熱っぽいnetsuppoifeverishi-adjective

Word lists with this word