How to Say ‘Belly button’ in Japanese
おへそ
o heso
[oh heh-soh]
💬 Usage Tip: Fun word: [おへそ] is everyday and cute. Great landmark for describing abdominal pain location.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Using landmarks like [おへそ] is very common when describing pain—clear even without medical vocabulary.
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[oh]
polite prefix (honorific)
「お」 is a polite prefix added to some body parts and everyday words to sound more polite (common when speaking to staff like pharmacists).
おへそが痛いです。
My belly button hurts.
へそ
heso
[heh-soh]
belly button; navel
「へそ」 means the belly button/navel. In a pharmacy, it helps specify the pain location (often heard with のあたり “around”).
へそのあたりが気持ち悪いです。
I feel sick around my belly button area.
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