吐き気

• Reading: はきけ
• Romaji: hakike
• Kanji breakdown: 吐 (ha/to) — vomit, spit out; 気 (ki) — feeling, sensation
• Pronunciation: /ha.ki.ke/

Meaning

Nausea; a sensation of wanting to vomit. Also used figuratively to describe intense disgust or revulsion.

A noun referring to both physical nausea and emotional repulsion. Most commonly used in the construction 吐き気がする (to feel nauseous). Beyond literal nausea from illness or motion sickness, it is frequently used figuratively to convey visceral disgust or moral revulsion at something deeply objectionable.

Examples

1. 船酔いで吐き気がひどく、デッキで休んでいた。 I was badly seasick and rested on the deck.
2. 彼の言い訳を聞いて、吐き気を催すほど腹が立った。 Listening to his excuses made me so angry I felt sick.
3. 妊娠初期は吐き気と戦いながら仕事を続けた。 In the early stages of pregnancy, I kept working while fighting off nausea.

Usage Guide

Context: health, disgust, pregnancy, emotions

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 吐く (to vomit, to spit out) and 気 (feeling, sensation). A compound capturing the sensation preceding vomiting, extended figuratively to emotional disgust.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal