Japanese word

失望

Pronunciation

Romajishitsubō

Meaning

  • noundisappointment

Example

期待していた賞をもらえず、失望しました。ki tai shi te i ta shō o mo ra e zu shitsu bō shi ma shi ta

I was disappointed not to get the prize I had hoped for.

Illustration for 失望 (disappointment)

More examples

約束が守られず、友人たちは深い失望を味わいました。yaku soku ga mamo ra re zu yū jin ta chi wa buka i shitsu bō o aji wa i ma shi ta

The friends felt deep disappointment when the promise was not kept.

Core concept

Describes the feeling that arises when reality fails to meet one's hopes or expectations.

Common phrases

  • 失望するshitsu bō su ru

    be disappointed

  • 失望を招くshitsu bō o mane ku

    cause disappointment

  • 失望に終わるshitsu bō ni o wa ru

    end in disappointment

Similar words

落胆rakutan: A feeling of deep discouragement after hopes or expectations are not fulfilled.
失意shitsui: A state of losing hope because a desired outcome does not occur.
幻滅genmetsu: A feeling caused by the collapse of an idealized belief or expectation.

Definition in Japanese

望んでいた結果にならず、気持ちが沈むこと。nozo n de i ta kek ka ni na ra zu ki mo chi ga shizu mu ko to

Word origin

失望 (shitsubō) combines the Sino-Japanese elements 失 (shitsu, "loss") and 望 (bō, "hope"), linking the word with the loss of hope after an unmet expectation.

Usage tips

  • The verb 失望する (shitsubō suru) is common in Japanese, whereas English uses disappoint as a transitive verb and be disappointed for the person's feeling.

Other meanings

  • disillusionmentnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 失望感shitsubōkansense of disappointmentnoun

Word lists with this word