Translation guide
This guide covers how to express the state of being depressed in Japanese, from clinical depression to everyday sadness. It includes common verbs, adjectives, and phrases, with notes on nuance and usage.
Refers to a depressive state, often used in medical or formal contexts.
彼女はうつ状態にある。
She is in a depressive state.
To express a general feeling of sadness or low spirits, often temporary.
The most common way to say 'I'm depressed' in everyday conversation. Implies feeling down or discouraged.
最近、落ち込んでいる。
I've been feeling depressed lately.
試験に落ちて落ち込んでいる。
I'm depressed because I failed the exam.
Means gloomy or melancholy. Slightly more literary than 落ち込んでいる.
雨の日は憂鬱だ。
Rainy days make me depressed.
Literally 'spirit sinks', meaning to feel depressed or heavy-hearted.
悪い知らせを聞いて気が沈んだ。
I felt depressed after hearing the bad news.
To feel depressed or dispirited. Often used in the form 気が滅入る.
To express a more intense, often emotional, depression due to a specific event.
To be sunk in sorrow, implying deep sadness.
彼は失恋の悲しみに沈んでいる。
He is depressed over a broken heart.
To be crushed or devastated emotionally.
彼女はその知らせに打ちひしがれた。
She was depressed by the news.
To describe a state of economic depression or a slump.
Refers to economic depression or recession.
世界は不況に陥っている。
The world is in a depression.
Means stagnant or depressed, used for business or activity.
市場が沈滞している。
The market is depressed.
落ち込んでいる is the most common and natural way to say 'I'm depressed' in daily conversation. 憂鬱だ is more literary and often describes a gloomy mood or weather. For clinical depression, use うつ病だ.
The English phrase 'be depressed' does not have a single direct equivalent in Japanese. Using 落ち込んでいる is usually the safest choice for personal feelings. Do not use うつ病だ unless you mean clinical depression.
This weather makes me depressed.