Translation guide
The English noun 'letdown' refers to a feeling of disappointment when something is worse than expected. This guide covers natural Japanese ways to express that feeling, from common phrases to more specific terms.
Expressing a general feeling of disappointment or being let down.
A versatile onomatopoeic word that can be used as a noun, verb (がっかりする), or adverb. It's the most common and natural way to express disappointment.
Referring to a thing or event that is a letdown.
A common way to say 'a disappointing thing'. がっかり can modify nouns with な.
今日の試合はがっかりな結果だった。
Today's game was a letdown.
Expressing a sudden loss of enthusiasm or energy due to disappointment.
がっかり is an everyday, emotional expression suitable for casual conversation. 失望 is more formal and often implies a deeper, more reasoned disappointment, like in a professional or moral context.
友達に嘘をつかれて失望した。
I was disappointed in my friend for lying.
The English 'letdown' as a noun doesn't have a single direct equivalent. Avoid trying to translate it word-for-word; instead, use the phrases above depending on the nuance.
I was let down because the movie was boring.
それはがっかりだね。
That's a letdown, isn't it?
A more formal noun meaning 'disappointment'. Often used in written or serious contexts.
結果に失望した。
I was disappointed with the results.
Literally 'expectation-miss', this noun directly means something that didn't live up to expectations. It's a bit more specific than がっかり.
新作は期待外れだった。
The new work was a letdown.
Describes an anticlimax or a feeling of being let down because something was too easy or ended too quickly, often with a sense of deflation.
試合があっけなく終わって拍子抜けした。
The match ended so easily it was a letdown.
As above, this noun can directly label something as a letdown.
あのレストランは期待外れだった。
That restaurant was a letdown.
Literally 'spirit leaks out', this phrase describes the feeling of deflation after a letdown.
中止の知らせを聞いて気が抜けた。
I felt deflated when I heard the cancellation notice.
A noun meaning 'feeling of lethargy' or 'deflation', often used in more descriptive contexts.
そのニュースに脱力感を覚えた。
I felt a sense of letdown at the news.