Japanese Words for Angry: How to Say “Angry” in Japanese

Hello, I’m Kodak.

How do you say “angry” in Japanese?

The quickest answer is 怒おこっている (okotte iru). However, Japanese has many other expressions for different kinds of anger, including quiet irritation, sudden rage, frustration, disgust, and informal “pissed off” language.

How Do You Say “Angry” in Japanese?

The most direct and general translation is:

彼は怒っている。
Kare wa okotte iru.
He is angry.

私に怒ってる？
Watashi ni okotteru?
Are you angry with me?

まだ怒っていますか？
Mada okotte imasu ka?
Are you still angry?

怒る vs 怒っている: The Basic Grammar

怒おこる (okoru) is the dictionary form. It can mean:

怒っている describes the resulting or continuing state: someone is angry.

父はすぐ怒る。
Chichi wa sugu okoru.
My father gets angry easily.

父は今、怒っている。
Chichi wa ima, okotte iru.
My father is angry now.

先生は学生を怒った。
Sensei wa gakusei o okotta.
The teacher scolded the student.

Quick Comparison: Eight Japanese Words for Angry

1. 怒っている (Okotte Iru): “To Be Angry”

怒っている is the safest general translation for “is angry”. It can be used in casual conversation, polite speech, narration, and written Japanese.

どうして怒っているの？
Dōshite okotte iru no?
Why are you angry?

彼女は約束を破られて怒っている。
Kanojo wa yakusoku o yaburarete okotte iru.
She is angry because someone broke a promise to her.

そんなに怒らないで。
Sonna ni okoranaide.
Don’t be so angry.

How to Say “Angry Person” in Japanese

Japanese can place the past form 怒った before a noun.

怒った顔
okotta kao
an angry face

怒った声
okotta koe
an angry voice

To describe someone who gets angry easily, use 怒りっぽい (okorippoi).

彼は少し怒りっぽい。
Kare wa sukoshi okorippoi.
He is a little short-tempered.

2. 腹が立つ (Hara ga Tatsu): “To Get Angry” or “Be Annoyed”

腹はらが立たつ literally combines 腹 (belly / inner feelings) and 立つ (to stand / arise). Its core image is anger rising from inside you.

彼の無責任な態度に腹が立つ。
Kare no musekinin na taido ni hara ga tatsu.
His irresponsible attitude makes me angry.

思い出すだけで腹が立つ。
Omoidasu dake de hara ga tatsu.
Just remembering it makes me angry.

For a full explanation of its origin, grammar, pronunciation, and examples, see What Does 腹が立つ (Hara ga Tatsu) Mean?

3. 頭に来る (Atama ni Kuru): “To Get Mad”

頭あたまに来くる literally means “to come to the head.” It describes becoming emotionally heated or suddenly angry.

ばかにされて頭に来た。
Baka ni sarete atama ni kita.
I got mad because I was made fun of.

あの言い方、本当に頭に来る！
Ano iikata, hontō ni atama ni kuru!
The way he says that really makes me mad!

4. ムカつく (Mukatsuku): “To Be Pissed Off”

ムカつく is a blunt casual expression. Depending on context, it can mean “I’m pissed off,” “that annoys me,” or “that disgusts me.”

あいつ、マジでムカつく。
Aitsu, maji de mukatsuku.
That guy seriously pisses me off.

その態度、ちょっとムカつく。
Sono taido, chotto mukatsuku.
That attitude is kind of annoying.

5. イライラする (Iraira Suru): “To Feel Irritated”

イライラする describes continuing irritation, frustration, impatience, or nervous tension. The emotion may be caused by delays, noise, repeated mistakes, uncertainty, or things not going as planned.

電車が来なくてイライラしている。
Densha ga konakute iraira shite iru.
I’m irritated because the train is not coming.

同じミスが続くとイライラする。
Onaji misu ga tsuzuku to iraira suru.
I get frustrated when the same mistakes keep happening.

6. キレる (Kireru): “To Snap” or “Lose One’s Temper”

The ordinary verb 切れる means “to be cut,” “to break,” or “to run out.” In slang, キレる describes the moment a person’s patience or self-control suddenly breaks.

彼は急にキレて、机をたたいた。
Kare wa kyū ni kirete, tsukue o tataita.
He suddenly snapped and hit the desk.

そんなことでキレないでよ。
Sonna koto de kirenaide yo.
Don’t lose your temper over something like that.

キレている can describe someone who has already lost control, but it does not simply mean ordinary “angry.”

7. 腹立たしい (Haradatashii): “Irritating” or “Infuriating”

腹立たしい is a Japanese い-adjective. Unlike 怒っている, which describes an angry person, 腹立たしい often describes a thing, action, situation, or behavior that provokes anger.

彼の無責任な態度は腹立たしい。
Kare no musekinin na taido wa haradatashii.
His irresponsible attitude is infuriating.

何もできない自分が腹立たしかった。
Nani mo dekinai jibun ga haradatashikatta.
I was frustrated with myself for being unable to do anything.

8. 激怒する (Gekido Suru): “To Be Furious”

激怒げきどする means to become extremely angry. It is stronger and more formal than everyday expressions such as 怒る or 腹が立つ.

社長は報告を聞いて激怒した。
Shachō wa hōkoku o kiite gekido shita.
The company president was furious when he heard the report.

国民はその不正に激怒した。
Kokumin wa sono fusei ni gekido shita.
The public was enraged by the corruption.

In ordinary conversation, saying めちゃくちゃ怒っていた may sound more natural than 激怒していた, unless you want a dramatic or news-like tone.

Other Useful Japanese Words Related to Anger

怒り (Ikari): Anger

怒り is the noun “anger.”

怒りを感じる。
Ikari o kanjiru.
To feel anger.

怒りを抑える。
Ikari o osaeru.
To control one’s anger.

憤る (Ikidōru): To Feel Indignant

憤いきどおる often describes serious or morally motivated anger at injustice, corruption, or wrongdoing. It is more formal and literary than 怒る.

多くの人がその不正に憤った。
Ōku no hito ga sono fusei ni ikidōtta.
Many people were outraged by the wrongdoing.

かちんと来る (Kachin to Kuru): To Be Offended or Irritated

かちんと来る describes a quick flash of displeasure caused by someone’s insensitive or rude words.

その一言にかちんと来た。
Sono hitokoto ni kachin to kita.
That one remark rubbed me the wrong way.

不機嫌 (Fukigen): In a Bad Mood

不機嫌 does not necessarily mean full anger. It describes someone who is displeased, grumpy, or in a bad mood.

今日は朝から不機嫌だ。
Kyō wa asa kara fukigen da.
He has been in a bad mood since this morning.

How to Say Angry, Annoyed, Mad, Pissed Off, and Furious in Japanese

How to Say “I’m Angry” in Japanese

Neutral

怒っている。
Okotte iru.
I’m angry.

Casual

私、怒ってるから。
Watashi, okotteru kara.
I’m angry, you know.

Polite

私は怒っています。
Watashi wa okotte imasu.
I am angry.

“That makes me angry”

それは腹が立つ。
Sore wa hara ga tatsu.
That makes me angry.

“I’m annoyed”

ちょっとイライラしている。
Chotto iraira shite iru.
I’m a little irritated.

Blunt: “I’m pissed off”

マジでムカついてる。
Maji de mukatsuiteru.
I’m seriously pissed off.

How to Say “Are You Angry?” in Japanese

Politeness: Which Angry Expressions Should You Avoid at Work?

Even a grammatically polite sentence can sound confrontational when it directly accuses someone.

あなたの態度には腹が立ちます。
I am angry at your attitude.
⇒ Grammatically polite, but very direct.

In workplace communication, describe the problem and its effect more objectively.

そのご対応には少し不快感を覚えました。
Sono go-taiō ni wa sukoshi fukaikan o oboemashita.
I felt somewhat uncomfortable with the way the matter was handled.

その判断には納得できませんでした。
Sono handan ni wa nattoku dekimasen deshita.
I was unable to accept that decision.

Angry Expressions Commonly Heard in Anime and Manga

Anime characters often speak more dramatically, bluntly, or incompletely than people do in polite real-life conversation.

Example Dialogue: Choosing the Right Word for Angry

Common Mistakes When Translating “Angry” into Japanese

Mistake 1: Using 怒る when you mean “is angry”

Mistake 2: Using ムカつく in polite conversation

ムカつく is common, but blunt. With a customer, teacher, superior, or unfamiliar person, choose a more neutral expression.

Mistake 3: Translating every kind of annoyance as 怒っている

English annoyed may refer to anger, frustration, impatience, or discomfort. Japanese often distinguishes them.

Mistake 4: Assuming 怒った always means “was angry”

Before a noun, 怒った can function like “angry.”

怒った表情
okotta hyōjō
an angry expression

FAQ: Japanese Words for Angry

What is the Japanese word for angry?

The most general expression is 怒っている (okotte iru), meaning “to be angry.” The best word changes with the nuance and situation.

How do you say “I am angry” in Japanese?

Say 私は怒っています (watashi wa okotte imasu) politely, or simply 怒ってる (okotteru) in casual speech when the subject is clear.

What does okoru mean?

怒る (okoru) means to get angry or express anger. It can also mean to scold someone.

What is the difference between 怒る and 怒っている?

怒る is the dictionary form and often means “get angry.” 怒っている describes the state “is angry.”

How do you say “mad” in Japanese?

Use 怒っている as a general translation. 頭に来ている is suitable when “mad” means emotionally heated or very annoyed.

How do you say “annoyed” in Japanese?

イライラしている fits continuing irritation or frustration. 腹が立っている fits anger caused by a specific person, action, or situation.

How do you say “pissed off” in Japanese?

ムカついている is a close casual equivalent, but it is blunt and may sound rude. かなり腹が立っている is less slangy.

How do you say “furious” in Japanese?

激怒している (gekido shite iru) means “is furious” or “is enraged.” It sounds formal, dramatic, or news-like.

Is ムカつく a bad word?

It is not a swear word, but it is blunt and impolite in many situations. Avoid it in formal communication.

What is the difference between 腹が立つ and 頭に来る?

腹が立つ is a standard expression for anger or annoyance caused by something. 頭に来る often sounds more sudden, heated, and conversational.

What is the difference between 怒っている and イライラしている?

怒っている clearly means someone is angry. イライラしている describes continuing irritation, frustration, impatience, or nervous tension.

How do Japanese people say “Don’t be angry”?

The common expression is 怒らないで (okoranaide). A softer version is そんなに怒らないで (sonna ni okoranaide), meaning “Don’t be so angry.”

Summary: Which Japanese Word for Angry Should You Use?

References

• Kotobank: 怒る — definitions including becoming angry and scolding.
• Kanjipedia: 怒 — readings, meanings, and kanji formation.
• Kotobank: 腹が立つ.
• Kotobank: 頭に来る.
• Kotobank: むかつく.
• Kotobank: 苛々.
• Kotobank: 腹立たしい.
• Kotobank: 激怒.
• Kotobank: かちんと来る.