憂鬱
yūutsu[jɯ̟ːɯ̟t͡sɨ]
Melancholy in Japanese is 憂鬱 (yūutsu). Wiktionary also lists 鬱病 (utsubyō).
Meaning: Sadness or depression (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 憂鬱 | yūutsu | [jɯ̟ːɯ̟t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| 鬱病 | utsubyō | [ɯ̟t͡sɨbʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
憂鬱 refers to a general feeling of melancholy, gloom or sadness. It is frequently used in the verb phrase 憂鬱になる to express the onset of a melancholy mood, meaning to become melancholy or to feel depressed. For a more informal way to declare feelings of sadness or melancholy, you can use かなしい (kanashii).
Which one should you use?
While 憂鬱 refers to a general feeling of melancholy or gloom, 鬱病 is the specific medical term used for clinical depression.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the noun 憂鬱 as an adjective to describe a state, you add the particle な to form 憂鬱な.
How do you pronounce it?
yūutsu
Did you know?
- The kanji used in 憂鬱 are so complex that they are often used in Japanese typography tests to check if a font can handle many strokes. The character 鬱 is a famous example of a 'difficult' kanji due to its intricate density.
- In Japanese pop culture, the heavy aesthetic of 'melancholy' often connects to the concept of 'mono no aware', a culturally-specific sensitivity to the fleeting nature of things. While 'yūutsu' is a feeling, 'mono no aware' is the philosophical appreciation of that sadness.
- In Japanese culture, 憂鬱 is often associated with the rainy season, known as tsuyu. The damp, gray weather of June is frequently described as creating a 憂鬱な mood.
Examples in context
- 憂鬱になる。I feel melancholy.This sentence shows how to use 憂鬱 to express a feeling.Tatoeba #11340462 by cia_UnitedStatesNa13, translation #13057436 by koinu
- 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱The Melancholy of Haruhi SuzumiyaThis is a title using 憂鬱.
- ぼくは涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱を読みたくない。I don't want to read the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.This sentence uses 憂鬱 in the context of a book title.Tatoeba #1178835 by Scott, translation #1178833 by Scott
Example conversation
Misaki asks Hiroto why he is looking so down at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔くん、どうしたの？Hiroto-kun, doushita no?Hiroto, what's wrong?
- 大翔 Hiroto最近、少し憂鬱なんだ。Saikin, sukoshi yuuutsu nanda.I've been feeling a bit melancholy lately.
- 美咲 Misaki何か悩み事でもあるの？Nani ka nayami goto demo aru no?Is there something bothering you?
- 大翔 Hirotoいや、特に理由はないんだ。Iya, toku ni riyuu wa nain da.No, there's no particular reason.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “melancholy” translations and entries 憂鬱, 鬱病, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
