痒い（かゆい、kayui）
- itchy

The word 痒い かゆい means "itchy" or "itchiness." It describes the sensation of the skin that makes you want to scratch it. This feeling can be caused by various factors, such as insect bites, allergies, dry skin, or skin conditions.

⚫︎ 蚊に刺されて、腕が痒い Translation: My arm is itchy because a mosquito bit me. ⚫︎ アトピーで、体が痒くて困っています Translation: I'm having trouble because my body is itchy due to atopic dermatitis. ⚫︎ この石鹸を使うと、肌が痒くなるんです Translation: My skin gets itchy when I use this soap.

You use 痒い かゆい to describe the feeling of itchiness. ⚫︎ It is an adjective, so it modifies nouns. ⚫︎ You can use it to describe your own experience or to talk about someone else's. ⚫︎ It can be used in both formal and informal situations.

⚫︎ The word is typically written as 痒い in kanji, but it is often written in hiragana かゆい. ⚫︎ The base form is 痒 and the okurigana is い. ⚫︎ The ます form (polite form) is 痒いです かゆいです. ⚫︎ The negative form is 痒くない かゆくない. ⚫︎ The past tense form is 痒かった かゆかった.

There aren't many direct synonyms for "itchy". You could use descriptive phrases to convey a similar meaning. ⚫︎ "I feel the urge to scratch" (かきたい気分) ⚫︎ "Skin irritation" (肌の刺激)

There aren't direct antonyms for "itchy". The opposite would be the absence of itchiness. ⚫︎ "Not itchy" (痒くない / かゆくない) ⚫︎ "Comfortable" (快適 / 快適な)

背中が痒いから、ちょっと掻いてくれない？ ・Translation: My back is itchy, could you scratch it for me? ・Explanation: This sentence uses 痒い to describe the location of the itch and asks for help.

最近、痒くて眠れないんです。 ・Translation: I can't sleep recently because I'm itchy. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the impact of itchiness on sleep.

The etymology of 痒い かゆい isn't precisely clear, but it is likely derived from an older form of the word describing the physical sensation of itchiness. The kanji 痒 is composed of parts related to "sickness" or "illness" and "fragrant herb," perhaps suggesting an association between skin irritation and the potential for a disease or a feeling of discomfort that's like a subtle aroma.