Translation guide
A state of low spirits, hopelessness, or loss of motivation. Japanese expresses this through emotional vocabulary, physical metaphors, and set phrases describing a heavy or dark heart.
Express a general state of being discouraged, downhearted, or in low spirits.
Strong disappointment or discouragement; often used when hopes are dashed.
不合格の知らせに落胆した。
I was despondent at the news of failing the exam.
Dejection or being dispirited; literally 'spirit sinking', a common four-character compound.
彼は失恋して意気消沈している。
He is despondent after being rejected in love.
To feel depressed or gloomy; a common colloquial expression for a heavy mood.
雨の日が続くと気がめいる。
Continuous rainy days make me feel despondent.
Melancholy, gloom; a more literary or clinical term for deep sadness.
彼は憂鬱な表情を浮かべていた。
He wore a despondent expression.
Disappointment or despair; often used in formal or written contexts for deep despondency.
失意のうちに故郷を去った。
He left his hometown in despondency.
Use body-related idioms to describe a heavy, dark, or sinking feeling.
Heart sinks; a direct metaphor for despondency.
悪い知らせを聞いて心が沈んだ。
My heart sank when I heard the bad news.
Feeling heavy-hearted; often used when facing an unpleasant task or situation.
明日の面接のことを考えると気が重い。
Thinking about tomorrow's interview makes me feel despondent.
Chest feels blocked or tight; expresses emotional heaviness or despondency.
その話を聞いて胸がふさがる思いだった。
Hearing that story filled me with despondency.
Express despondency that leads to a lack of will to continue.
To lose motivation; a very common phrase for becoming despondent about a task.
失敗続きでやる気をなくした。
I lost all motivation after repeated failures.
Despair, hopelessness; stronger than despondency, often used when all hope is lost.
彼は将来に絶望している。
He is in despair about his future.
To become careless or give up in a despondent, reckless way.
何をやってもうまくいかず、投げやりになった。
Nothing was going right, and I became despondent and reckless.
落胆 is disappointment from a specific event; 意気消沈 is a visible drop in spirits; 憂鬱 is a lingering, often clinical gloom. Use 落胆 for acute reactions, 意気消沈 for demeanor, and 憂鬱 for a sustained state.
Direct translations like 'despondency' as a noun are rarely used in natural Japanese. Instead, use verbs and adjectives (e.g., 落胆する, 気が重い) to describe the feeling.