熱

• Reading: ねつ
• Romaji: netsu
• Kanji breakdown: 熱 (netsu/atsu) — heat, fever, passion
• Pronunciation: /ne.tsɯ/

Meaning

Heat; fever; temperature. Refers to both physical heat and body temperature.

Has two main uses: physical heat/warmth and body fever. 熱がある (to have a fever) and 熱が出る (to develop a fever) are essential medical expressions. Also used figuratively for passion or enthusiasm: 熱心 (enthusiastic) and 熱中する (to be absorbed in). When talking about checking temperature, 熱を測る (to take one's temperature) is the standard phrase.

Examples

1. 昨日から熱が出ています。 I've had a fever since yesterday.
2. 熱を測ったら三十八度でした。 I took my temperature and it was 38 degrees.
3. 熱が下がったので学校に行けます。 My fever went down, so I can go to school.

Usage Guide

Context: health, hospital, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 熱 combines 埶 (a phonetic element meaning 'art/skill') and 灬 (fire radical at bottom), representing intense heat from fire.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal