Japanese word

ご無沙汰

Pronunciation

Romajigobusata

Meaning

  • nounbeing out of touch

Example

長い間、ご無沙汰しています。naga i aida go bu sa ta shi te i ma su

I have been out of touch for a long time.

Illustration for ご無沙汰 (being out of touch)

More examples

海外の友人にご無沙汰を詫びる手紙を書きました。kai gai no yū jin ni go bu sa ta o wa bi ru te gami o ka ki ma shi ta

I wrote a letter to my friend overseas to apologize for being out of touch.

Core concept

Describes the state of having had no contact with someone for a long time.

Common phrases

  • ご無沙汰しておりますgo bu sa ta shi te o ri ma su

    have been out of touch

  • ご無沙汰をお詫びするgo bu sa ta o o wa bi su ru

    apologize for being out of touch

Similar words

音信不通onshinfutsū: A state in which no news or communication passes between people for a period of time.
疎遠soen: A state in which contact with someone has become infrequent and the relationship has grown distant.

Definition in Japanese

長く連絡や訪問をしないこと。naga ku ren raku ya hō mon o shi na i ko to

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese noun 無沙汰 (busata, "lack of contact") takes ご (go, "honorific prefix") to form a polite noun for a long absence of communication.

Usage tips

  • In polite Japanese, ご無沙汰しております (gobusata shite orimasu) is a conventional greeting after a long period without contact, including in emails.

Other meanings

  • long silencenoun

Related words

  • ご無沙汰するgobusatasurube out of touchverb

Word lists with this word