不安
fuan[ɸɯ̟ã̠ɴ]
The English word 'angst' is translated into Japanese as 不安 (fuan).
不安 refers to a feeling of acute anxiety or apprehension.
Meaning: feeling of acute anxiety or apprehension (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, 不安 means 'not peaceful' or 'unstable'.
Which one should you use?
不安 is used for a profound sense of anxiety, whereas 心配 is more common for expressing specific, everyday worries or concerns.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the noun as an adjective to describe a person or situation, add the particle な to form 不安な. To express the action of feeling this sensation, place the verb 感じる after the noun to form 不安を感じる (to feel anxiety).
How do you pronounce it?
fuan
Did you know?
- In Japanese, a feeling of angst can be described as 胸が騒ぐ, which literally means 'the chest is noisy'. This expresses anxiety as a physical disturbance in the heart area.
- While 不安 refers to emotional angst, the character 安 is also used in the word for 'cheap' (安い). This links the concept of peace and stability to a low price.
- In Japanese, the concept of 'stability' or 'peace' is so central to the word 不安 that it is used not only for emotions but also to describe an unstable physical structure or a volatile political situation.
Examples in context
- 彼の話はいつも心の不安を引き起こす。His words always evoke a sense of angst within me.
- 最近、悩みが尽きない。Lately, my angst seems endless.
- 将来に不安を感じる。shourai ni fuan o kanjiru.I feel anxiety about the future.
- 試験の前はいつも不安です。shiken no mae wa itsumo fuan desu.I am always anxious before an exam.
- 一人でいると不安になります。hitori de iru to fuan ni narimasu.I get anxious when I am alone.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are talking about a job interview.
- 健太 Kenta明日の面接、すごく不安なんだ。ashita no mensetsu, sugoku fuan nanda.I'm really anxious about tomorrow's interview.
- 結衣 Yui健太さんは大丈夫ですよ。Kenta-san wa daijoubu desu yo.You'll be fine, Kenta.
- 健太 Kentaそうかな。でも不安が消えないよ。sou kana. demo fuan ga kienai yo.I wonder. But the angst won't go away.
- 結衣 Yui深呼吸して、落ち着いてください。shinkokyuu shite, ochitsuite kudasai.Take a deep breath and please calm down.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 不安, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
