麻痺

• Reading: まひ
• Romaji: mahi
• Kanji breakdown: 麻 (ma) — hemp, numb; 痺 (hi) — numbness, paralysis
• Pronunciation: /ma.çi/

Meaning

Paralysis; numbness; stupor. Loss of sensation or function in a body part, or figurative dulling of senses.

A noun and suru verb with both medical and figurative uses. Medically, it refers to loss of muscle function or sensation (手足の麻痺, paralysis of limbs). Figuratively, it describes becoming numb or desensitised to something (感覚が麻痺する, senses becoming numb). Both kanji are outside the standard jouyou set, so the word is sometimes written in hiragana or as マヒ in casual contexts.

Examples

1. 長時間正座していたら足が麻痺してしまった。 After sitting seiza for a long time, my legs went completely numb.
2. 毎日同じニュースを見ていると感覚が麻痺してくる。 Watching the same kind of news every day makes your senses go numb.
3. 脳梗塞の後遺症で右半身に麻痺が残っている。 There is residual paralysis on the right side of the body as an aftereffect of a stroke.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, health, figurative expressions, news

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 麻 (ma, hemp/numb) + 痺 (hi, numbness/paralysis). 麻 refers to the numbing effect of hemp (cannabis) used in traditional medicine, while 痺 means numbness or pins-and-needles. Together they describe the state of being unable to feel or move.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal