消えたい
kietai
To say "I want to disappear" in Japanese, use 消えたい (kietai), a short expression of wanting to vanish because of deep embarrassment, stress or sadness.
消えたい is commonly used to express intense social embarrassment, overwhelming stress or a wish to escape a difficult situation. Said after an awkward moment it can be close to the English I want to crawl into a hole, but it can also express real sadness, so listeners pay attention to the tone.
What does it mean word for word?
消えたい combines the verb 消える (kieru), meaning to disappear or vanish, with the ending -たい (-tai), meaning want to.
Which one should you use?
消えちゃいたいんだ。 is an informal version with a stronger, more emotional feel. 俺、消えたくなることがあるんだ。 says there are times when you feel like disappearing. わたしは消えたいです。 is a more formal full sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding です (desu) to 消えたい gives 消えたいです, which is polite and suitable for people you are not close with. To talk about the past, change the -tai ending to -takatta, giving 消えたかった, I wanted to disappear.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced kietai, with three clear syllables.
Did you know?
- Japanese has a distinct concept called 空気をおよむ ('reading the air') which describes the social pressure to blend in. Using 消えたい often happens when a speaker feels they have failed to 'read the air' correctly.
- While 消えたい expresses a wish to vanish, the word 消しゴム ('keshigomu'), meaning 'eraser', uses the same root verb 消す to describe the act of making something disappear.
- In Japanese, the verb 消える ('kieru') describes a light or a flame going out, meaning a person's desire to vanish is linguistically linked to a source of light being extinguished.
Examples in context
- 恥ずかしすぎて、今すぐ消えたい。Hazukashisugite, ima sugu kietai.I am so embarrassed, I want to disappear right now.
- 悲しくて、どこかへ消えたい気分だ。Kanashikute, dokoka e kietai kibun da.I feel so sad that I want to disappear somewhere.
- もう消えたいくらい、疲れ果てた。Mou kietai kurai, tsukarehateta.I am so exhausted that I want to disappear.
Example conversation
Yui accidentally tripped in front of everyone at school.
- 結衣 Yuiみんなに見られた。本当に消えたい。minna ni mirareta. hontō ni kietai.Everyone saw me. I really want to disappear.
- 蓮 Ren大丈夫だよ、結衣。誰も気にしてないよ。daijōbu da yo, Yui. dare mo kinishitenai yo.It's okay, Yui. Nobody is paying attention.
- 結衣 Yui無理。恥ずかしすぎて消えたいよ。muri. hazukashisugite kietai yo.No way. I'm too embarrassed, I want to disappear.
- 蓮 Renそんなことないよ。笑って忘れよう。sonna koto nai yo. waratte wasureyō.That's not true. Let's just laugh it off and forget it.
