Japanese dictionary
How to say "head" in Japanese
頭あたま · atama
"Head" in Japanese is 頭 (atama). A headache is 頭が痛い (atama ga itai). The head of a department is 部長 (buchō).
▶ plays native audio. Audio on this site plays when you are logged in to your free japanese.ccn.jp account (the same account as Japanese Talk by CCN).
Ways to say "head" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 頭あたま · atama | Head. |
| 頭痛ずつう · zutsū | Headache. |
| 部長ぶちょう · buchō | Head of a department. |
| 向かうむかう · mukau | To head (toward a place). |
How to use it
頭がいい (atama ga ii) means someone is smart.
To head somewhere is 〜に向かう (ni mukau), as in 空港に向かっています.
Example sentences
- 頭が痛いので、薬を飲みました。Atama ga itai node, kusuri o nomimashita.I have a headache, so I took some medicine.
- 彼はとても頭がいいです。Kare wa totemo atama ga ii desu.He's very smart.
- 今、空港に向かっています。Ima, kūkō ni mukatte imasu.I'm heading to the airport now.
- 営業部の部長に会いました。Eigyōbu no buchō ni aimashita.I met the head of the sales department.
- 頭をぶつけました。Atama o butsukemashita.I bumped my head.
- 頭痛がひどいです。Zutsū ga hidoi desu.I have a bad headache.
Questions
How do you say "I have a headache" in Japanese?
Say 頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu). 頭痛がします is a little more formal.
What does 頭がいい mean?
頭がいい (atama ga ii), literally "good head," means smart or clever.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.