燃え尽きた
moetsukita
The English phrase 'burnt out' is translated into Japanese as 燃え尽きた (moetsukita).
The term is used to describe someone who is overworked to the point of exhaustion. For the specific medical or psychological term for 'burnout syndrome', you should use 燃え尽き症候群. In informal settings, you might hear the phrase もうダメ to convey that someone is already done or cannot handle it anymore.
Meaning: overworked to the point of exhaustion (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The dictionary form 燃え尽きる is used to describe the state of burning out as a general phenomenon or a continuous process. In contrast, the past form 燃え尽きた describes the completed state of having already burnt out.
How do you pronounce it?
moetsukita
Did you know?
- Japanese has a related concept called 社畜 'shachiku', which combines the words for 'company' and 'livestock' to describe someone who is so burnt out they have become a slave to their employer.
- In Japanese workplaces, people might use the term 過労死 'karoushi' to describe the most extreme end of being burnt out, referring specifically to death from overwork.
- If you describe your mental state using 燃え尽きた, you are using the same word that describes a character in a novel who has lost their passion or 'will to live'. It carries a weight of permanent depletion rather than just needing a nap.
Examples in context
- この仕事で心が疲れてしまいました。I became emotionally exhausted from this job.
- 最近、仕事で疲れ果てているんだ。Lately, I'm completely burnt out from work.
- 彼は仕事で燃え尽きた。Kare wa shigoto de moetsukita.He is burnt out from work.
- 燃え尽きたような感覚がある。Moetsukita you na kankaku ga aru.I have a feeling like I'm burnt out.
Example conversation
Hiromi asks Hiroto how he is doing at his new job.
- 陽葵 Himari仕事はどう？順調？Shigoto wa dou? Junchou?How is work? Is it going well?
- 大翔 Hiroto正直、少し燃え尽きた感じだよ。Shoujiki, sukoshi moetsukita kanji da yo.To be honest, I feel a bit burnt out.
- 陽葵 Himari無理しないで、ゆっくり休んでね。Muri shinaide, yukkuri yasunde ne.Don't push yourself too hard, please rest well.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとう、そうするよ。Arigatou, sou suru yo.Thanks, I will do that.
