How do you use "under the weather" in a sentence?

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today - might skip the gym. She's been under the weather all week with a cold. Sorry I can't make it, I'm a bit under the weather.

under the weather

Q: What does "under the weather" mean?

feeling slightly unwell Describes feeling mildly ill without specifying symptoms. A polite, euphemistic way to say you are not feeling well without going into details.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian Unknown Neutral

Meaning: feeling slightly unwell

感觉有点不舒服

sentirse un poco mal

少し具合が悪い

몸이 좀 안 좋은.

Describes feeling mildly ill without specifying symptoms. A polite, euphemistic way to say you are not feeling well without going into details.

描述轻微不适但不指明具体症状。一种礼貌委婉的说法，不需要详细解释就能表达身体不太好。

Describe sentirse ligeramente enfermo sin especificar los síntomas. Una forma educada y eufemística de decir que no te encuentras bien sin entrar en detalles.

具体的な症状を示さずに、軽い体調不良を表す。詳しく説明せずに体調が優れないことを伝える、丁寧で婉曲的な表現。

구체적인 증상을 언급하지 않고 가볍게 몸이 안 좋다고 표현하는 완곡한 표현이다.

Examples

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today - might skip the gym.
我今天有点不舒服——可能不去健身房了。
Hoy no me encuentro muy bien; puede que no vaya al gimnasio.
今日はちょっと体調が悪いから、ジムは休むかも。
오늘 몸이 좀 안 좋아서 헬스장은 빠질까 봐.
She's been under the weather all week with a cold.
她因为感冒一整周都不太舒服。
Lleva toda la semana pachucha con un resfriado.
彼女は風邪で一週間ずっと体調が悪い。
그녀는 감기로 일주일 내내 몸이 안 좋았어.
Sorry I can't make it, I'm a bit under the weather.
抱歉去不了，我有点不舒服。
Perdona, no puedo ir, estoy un poco pachucho.
行けなくてごめん、ちょっと具合が悪くて。
못 가서 미안, 몸이 좀 안 좋아서.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: work, casual, polite

Tone: understated

✓ Do Say

Politely explain absence
礼貌地解释缺席
explicar educadamente una ausencia
欠席を丁寧に説明する
정중하게 결석 이유를 설명할 때
Describe mild illness
描述轻微不适
describir una dolencia leve
軽い体調不良を伝える
가벼운 질병을 표현할 때

✗ Don't Say

For serious illness
用于严重疾病时不恰当
Para enfermedades graves
深刻な病気の場合は不適切
심각한 질병일 때

Origin & History

Nautical origin from the 1800s. Sailors who were ill would be sent below deck to recover away from the harsh weather conditions on deck.

Cultural Context

Era: timeless

Generation: all ages

Social background: all