Japanese word

障る

Pronunciation

Romajisawaru

Meaning

  • verbbe harmful to

Example

夜更かしは健康に障ります。yo fu ka shi wa ken kō ni sawa ri ma su

Staying up late is harmful to your health.

Illustration for 障る (be harmful to)

More examples

薬の飲み過ぎは、胃に障ります。kusuri no no mi su gi wa i ni sawa ri ma su

Taking too much medicine can harm your stomach.

Core concept

It describes an unwanted effect that gets in the way of a person or situation, causing harm or irritation.

Common phrases

  • 体に障るkarada ni sawa ru

    be harmful to one's body

  • 健康に障るken kō ni sawa ru

    be harmful to one's health

Similar words

損なうsokonau: To damage health, ability, condition, or value.
害するgaisuru: To cause damage or a harmful effect to a person or thing.
傷めるitameru: To damage a person's body or health.

Definition in Japanese

物事の妨げとなり、健康を損ねたり気分を害したりする。mono goto no samata ge to na ri ken kō o soko ne ta ri ki bun o gai shi ta ri su ru

Word origin

障る (sawaru) is a native Japanese verb, historically recorded as さはる (saharu); its early sense of obstructing developed into the modern senses of causing harm or irritation.

Usage tips

  • Learners may confuse 障る (sawaru) with 触る (sawaru), but 障る relates to an unwanted effect and 触る relates to touching something.

Other meanings

  • hinderverb
  • irritateverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 障りsawarihindrancenoun

Word lists with this word