Meaning and Usage
The adjective だるい describes a physical or mental state of sluggishness, heaviness, or fatigue. It often implies a feeling of tiredness that makes movement or concentration difficult. This word is commonly used in casual conversation to express that one feels unwell or lacks energy.
Common Contexts
You will hear だるい used when someone feels physically heavy after exercise, illness, or lack of sleep. It can also describe mental sluggishness or a general sense of malaise.
Collocations and Patterns
- 体がだるい (からだがだるい): the body feels heavy or sluggish
- 頭がだるい (あたまがだるい): the head feels heavy or foggy
- だるいけど (だるいけど): expressing reluctance or tiredness but continuing an action
Register and Nuance
だるい is informal and mostly used in spoken Japanese. It conveys a subjective feeling rather than a clinical symptom. Avoid using it in formal writing or medical contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse だるい with 疲れた (つかれた), which means "tired" but can be more general. だるい specifically emphasizes heaviness and sluggishness rather than just tiredness.