心が折れた
kokoro ga oreta
The English phrase "my heart is broken" is expressed in Japanese as 心が折れた (kokoro ga oreta).
This phrase is used metaphorically to describe a loss of motivation, mental resilience or the feeling of being defeated by a difficult task or failure. It conveys that someone has lost their will to continue after a setback.
How do you pronounce it?
kokoro ga oreta
Did you know?
- While 心が折れた means losing one's will, Japanese uses a different phrase, 失恋した, to describe the heartache of a romantic breakup.
- The verb 折れる (oreru) used here specifically means to 'snap' or 'break' a hard, brittle object like a stick or a bone. Using it for a heart suggests your mental state has become brittle under pressure.
- Using 心が折れた in a professional setting is very rare because admitting a total loss of will can be seen as a lack of 'ganbari' or perseverance.
Examples in context
- 彼にフラれて、心がボロボロだ。My heart is completely torn apart because he rejected me.
- 今回の別れで心がズタズタだ。My heart is in pieces because of this breakup.
- 試験に落ちて、心が折れた。Shiken ni ochite, kokoro ga oreta.I failed the exam, and I lost all motivation.
- 何度も失敗して、ついに心が折れた。Nando mo shippai shite, tsuini kokoro ga oreta.After failing so many times, I finally lost my will to continue.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are talking about Kenta's difficult job search.
- 健太 Kenta不採用通知が続いて、心が折れたよ。Fusaiyou tsuuchi ga tsuzuite, kokoro ga oreta yo.The rejection notices kept coming, and I feel completely defeated.
- 結衣 Yui健太くん、あまり自分を追い込まないで。Kenta-kun, amari jibun o oikomanaide.Kenta, please don't be too hard on yourself.
- 健太 Kentaでも、もう限界なんだ。Demo, mou genkai nanda.But, I've reached my limit.
- 結衣 Yui少し休んで、また明日考えよう。Sukoshi yasunde, mata ashita kangaeyou.Take a little rest and let's think about it again tomorrow.
