Translation guide
The English word 'gloomy' covers dark, dim environments, sad or depressed moods, and pessimistic outlooks. Japanese uses different words for each nuance.
Describing a physical space or weather that is dark, shadowy, or overcast.
General word for 'dark' or 'dim'. Used for rooms, streets, or overcast skies.
この部屋は暗いですね。
This room is gloomy, isn't it.
今日は空が暗い。
The sky is gloomy today.
Dimly lit, dusky. Emphasizes a lack of light, often with a slightly eerie nuance.
薄暗い廊下が怖かった。
The gloomy hallway was scary.
Dreary, cheerless atmosphere. Often for weather or surroundings that feel oppressive.
陰気な天気が続いている。
The gloomy weather continues.
Describing a person's emotional state of sadness or depression.
Melancholy, depressed. The most direct equivalent for a gloomy mood. Often used for a lingering sadness.
彼は最近憂鬱そうだ。
He seems gloomy lately.
雨の日は憂鬱になる。
Rainy days make me feel gloomy.
Can also describe a gloomy personality or mood, meaning 'dark' in a metaphorical sense.
Using 暗い for a person can sound blunt. 憂鬱な is softer for temporary moods.
Downcast, depressed. Literally 'sunken', used for a visibly gloomy expression or mood.
沈んだ顔をしているね。
You look gloomy.
Gloomy and cheerless personality or atmosphere. Can sound old-fashioned or literary.
彼は陰気な男だ。
He is a gloomy man.
Describing a situation, forecast, or prospect that is discouraging or without hope.
Used metaphorically for a bleak future or prospect.
将来が暗い。
The future looks gloomy.
Pessimistic. Focuses on a negative outlook or expectation.
彼は悲観的な見方をしている。
He has a gloomy view.
Fixed phrase meaning 'the outlook is gloomy/dark'.
経済の見通しは暗い。
The economic outlook is gloomy.
Dismal, bleak. Stronger and more literary than 暗い.
陰鬱な未来しか見えない。
I can only see a gloomy future.
暗い is the most versatile, covering physical darkness, gloomy personality, and bleak prospects. 憂鬱な specifically refers to a depressed, melancholic mood. 陰気な describes a cheerless atmosphere or personality and can sound dated or literary.
In casual conversation, Japanese speakers often use more specific words like 落ち込んでいる (feeling down) or どんよりした (dull, overcast) instead of a single 'gloomy' equivalent.
彼は性格が暗い。
He has a gloomy personality.