耳(みみ)が痛(いた)い

みみがいたい
expression
hard to hear, hits home (criticism)
body-partemotion
1. hard to hear, painful to listen to (because it's true)
Describes criticism or advice that is uncomfortable to hear because it touches on one's own faults or weaknesses.
先生(せんせい)の言葉(ことば)は耳(みみ)が痛(いた)かった。
The teacher's words hit close to home.
耳(みみ)が痛(いた)い話(はなし)だが、本当(ほんとう)のことだ。
It's hard to hear, but it's the truth.
彼(かれ)の批判(ひはん)は耳(みみ)が痛(いた)い。
His criticism is painful to hear (because it's true).
2. to have an earache (literal)
Physical pain in the ear.
風邪(かぜ)を引(ひ)いて耳(みみ)が痛(いた)い。
I caught a cold and have an earache.
飛行機(ひこうき)が降(お)りるとき、耳(みみ)が痛(いた)くなった。
My ears hurt when the plane was descending.
大(おお)きな音(おと)で音楽(おんがく)を聞(き)いていたら、耳(みみ)が痛(いた)くなった。
My ears started hurting from listening to music at a loud volume.

Structure: 耳(みみ) (ear) + が + 痛(いた)い (painful). The idiomatic sense is that criticism 'hurts the ear' because it's accurate.

IDIOMATIC vs. LITERAL:

  • Sense 1 (idiomatic): Criticism that you know is valid - it 'hurts' because you can't deny it
  • Sense 2 (literal): Physical earache

Related words

Similar words

  • 耳(みみ)が痛(いた)い: hurts because it's true
  • 耳障(みみざわ)り (grating, unpleasant to hear) - generally annoying sounds

Related Words

Related: 耳(みみ) (ear)
Compare: 耳障(みみざわ)り (grating to the ear)
Related: 正論(せいろん) (sound argument)
Compare: 胸(むね)に刺(さ)さる (to hit home)
Compare: 耳(みみ)が遠(とお)い (hard of hearing)
general
Added 2026.1.18 19:03 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:05
06500/06892_mimigaitai