Chinese word

失望

Pronunciation

Pinyinshī wàng

Meaning

  • adjectivedisappointed

Example

我对这个结果很失望。wǒ duì zhè ge jié guǒ hěn shī wàng

I am very disappointed with this result.

Illustration for 失望 (disappointed)

More examples

比赛失败后，观众的表情都显得失望。bǐ sài shī bài hòu guān zhòng de biǎo qíng dōu xiǎn de shī wàng

After the match ended in defeat, all the spectators' expressions looked disappointed.

Core concept

Hope seems to fall away from a person or outcome, leaving a quiet sense of discouragement.

Common phrases

  • 对结果失望duì jié guǒ shī wàng

    disappointed about the result

  • 显得失望xiǎn de shī wàng

    appear disappointed

Similar words

失落shī luò: Having a hollow feeling after losing something expected or working toward a goal.
沮丧jǔ sàng: Being downhearted and without much energy because of a difficult situation or result.
灰心huī xīn: Feeling discouraged and no longer wanting to keep trying after efforts seem useless.

Definition in Chinese

对某人或某事的希望破灭后感到消沉、不再抱希望的状态或感受。duì mǒu rén huò mǒu shì de xī wàng pò miè hòu gǎn dào xiāo chén bú zài bào xī wàng de zhuàng tài huò gǎn shòu

Word origin

失 (shī, "to lose") + 望 (wàng, "hope or expectation") gives the word a direct image of hope being lost after an expected outcome fails.

Usage tips

  • The word can describe a reaction to a person or to an outcome without assigning blame, which makes it useful for measured comments about expectations and promises.

Other meanings

  • lose hopeverb
  • feel discouragedverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 失望感shī wàng gǎnfeeling of disappointmentnoun

Word lists with this word