Japanese word

あっけない

Pronunciation

Romajiakkenai

Meaning

  • i-adjectiveanticlimactic

Example

結末はあっけないです。ketsu matsu wa a kke na i de su

The ending is anticlimactic.

Illustration for あっけない (anticlimactic)

More examples

強敵だと思った相手に、あっけなく勝ってしまいました。kyō teki da to omo tta ai te ni a kke na ku ka tte shi ma i ma shi ta

I beat the opponent I thought would be tough with surprising ease.

Core concept

Marks an unexpectedly quick or insubstantial outcome that does not provide the substance, struggle, or excitement that was anticipated.

Common phrases

  • あっけない勝利a kke na i shō ri

    anticlimactic victory

  • あっけなく負けるa kke na ku ma ke ru

    lose easily

Similar words

味気ないajikenai: Lacks interest, substance, or emotional satisfaction and feels empty.
物足りないmonotarinai: Does not provide enough excitement, substance, or satisfaction to meet expectations.

Definition in Japanese

予想していたよりもあまりに早く終わり、物足りなさや拍子抜けを感じさせるさま。yo sō shi te i ta yo ri mo a ma ri ni haya ku o wa ri mono ta ri na sa ya hyō shi nu ke o kan ji sa se ru sa ma

Word origin

あっけない (akkenai) is usually written with the characters 呆気ない (akkenai), where 呆気 (akke, "astonishment or a stunned feeling") is followed by ない (nai, "not having").

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, あっけない (akkenai) commonly applies to endings and defeats, so it conveys more than "brief" when the brevity feels disappointing or anticlimactic.

Other meanings

  • disappointingi-adjective
  • too briefi-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • あっけなさakkenasaanticlimaxnoun

Word lists with this word