(ほて)

ほてり
noun
flushing; hot flush; burning sensation
body-internalhealth
1. flushing; hot flush; burning sensation in the body
A sensation of warmth or heat in the body, especially the face, caused by bathing, exercise, embarrassment, fever, alcohol, or hormonal changes.
(かお)火照(ほて)()かない
The flushing in my face won't go away.
I opened the window to cool down the flush from getting out of the bath.
While feeling a burning flush throughout my body from nervousness, I managed to get through the speech to the end.

The noun form of the verb 火照(ほて) (to feel hot, to flush). Describes a warm or burning sensation in the body, especially the face, from heat, embarrassment, fever, or physical exertion.

Usage

  • Most commonly refers to the face flushing red and feeling hot
  • Can be caused by bathing, exercise, embarrassment, alcohol, fever, or hormonal changes
  • Often written in hiragana as ほてり, especially in medical contexts
  • Common in health and beauty contexts (e.g., menopausal hot flashes)

Common collocations

Similar words

  • のぼせ: rush of blood to the head, dizziness from heat — related but implies feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • 紅潮(こうちょう): blushing, flushing red — focuses on the visible redness rather than the sensation
  • ()てり: same word, sometimes written with this kanji — interchangeable