沮喪 / 沮丧
jǔsàng
In Chinese, the word for depressed is 沮喪 / 沮丧 (jǔsàng). Wiktionary also lists 鬱悶 / 郁闷 (yùmèn).
Meaning: severely despondent and unhappy (adj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 沮喪 / 沮丧 | jǔsàng |
| 鬱悶 / 郁闷 | yùmèn |
The phrase is used to describe a state of being severely despondent and unhappy.
Which one should you use?
沮喪 / 沮丧 (jǔsàng) is typically used to describe feeling disheartened, frustrated or losing one's morale due to a setback. In contrast, 鬱悶 / 郁闷 (yùmèn) describes a feeling of being depressed, stifled or having a heavy, gloomy mood, often due to things being stuck or unresolved.
How do you pronounce it?
jǔsàng
Did you know?
- The character 悶 in 鬱悶 consists of a 'gate' 門 with a 'heart' 心 trapped inside. This literally depicts a heart locked behind a closed door.
- In traditional Chinese medicine, the feeling of 鬱悶 is often linked to the 'liver' 肝, which is believed to regulate the flow of 'qi'. Emotional depression is viewed as a physical blockage of this energy.
- The character 鬱 in 鬱悶 is one of the most complex characters in the Chinese language, containing many strokes. Its visual density mirrors the feeling of being 'stifled' or 'clogged' that the word describes.
Examples in context
- 他最近一直感到抑郁，需要关心和支持。He has been feeling depressed lately and needs care and support.
- 她对考试成绩很沮丧。She feels depressed about her exam results.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “depressed” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
