うつ病
utsubyō
In Japanese, depression is うつ病 (utsubyō).
うつ病 is the standard term used in medical and formal contexts to refer to the clinical diagnosis of depression. The shorter form うつ is the most common and widely recognized word for depression in Japanese. When describing a state of melancholy or depression, often associated with temporary sadness, one might use 憂鬱. If you wish to describe the feeling of being low or depressed, you can use the phrases 沈んでいる or 気分が落ち込んでいる.
Meaning: psychology: period of unhappiness (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word うつ病 is composed of うつ, meaning depression or lethargy and 病, meaning illness or disease.
Which one should you use?
The shorter form うつ is commonly used to refer to the state of depression or the condition more colloquially. For highly specific clinical or technical contexts, 抑うつ refers specifically to clinical depression or major depressive disorder and 鬱病 is a technical term for depression used in medical and clinical contexts. Finally, 憂鬱 is used to describe a state of melancholy or depression, often associated with temporary sadness.
How does it change in a sentence?
Dropping the 病 suffix results in the shorter form うつ, which is commonly used to refer to the state of depression or the condition more colloquially.
How do you pronounce it?
utsubyō
Did you know?
- The term うつ (utsu) is believed to originate from the verb うつ meaning to strike, hit, or strike down, suggesting the feeling of being struck by a heavy force.
- In Japanese, the kanji used for うつ in 鬱 (depressive/melancholy) are considered some of the most complex and difficult to write by hand, often used as a challenge in calligraphy.
- The word 憂鬱 can be used to describe the oppressive, gloomy atmosphere of a rainy day, not just a person's mental state.
Examples in context
- うつ病だから，何を言っても無罪放免さ。It doesn’t matter what you say, he’ll be acquitted because of depression.This sentence shows how うつ病 can be used in a context of legal or social accountability.Tatoeba #4291995 by admiral, translation #7910570 by User83551
- 女性有職者における自殺の原因・動機は、うつ病などの神経疾患の比率が非常に高く、全体の約４割にも及ぶと言われている。A very high proportion, approximately 40%, of suicides among employed women are caused or motivated by depression and other related neurological disorders.This sentence uses うつ病 to discuss the statistical link between neurological disorders and suicide among employed women.Tatoeba #9457898 by small_snow, translation #11755077 by pip
- 彼は最近、うつ病を患い、仕事に支障が出ている。He has been suffering from depression recently, which is interfering with his work.This sentence demonstrates using うつ病 to describe how a condition can interfere with one's work.Tatoeba #12179619 by Album9505, translation #12179621 by Album9505
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are talking about a friend's health.
- 蓮 Ren彼、最近ずっと元気がないよね。Kare, saikin zutto genki ga nai yo ne.He's been really down lately, hasn't he?
- 美咲 Misaki実は、うつ病で療養しているみたい。Jitsu wa, utsubyō de ryōyō shite iru mitai.Actually, it seems he's recovering from depression.
- 蓮 Renそうだったのか。大変だね。Sō datta no ka. Taihen da ne.I see. That's tough.
- 美咲 Misakiゆっくり休んでほしいね。Yukkuri yasunde hoshii ne.I hope he can take it easy and rest.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
