口寂しい
kuchisabishii
The Japanese phrase for "my mouth is lonely" is 口寂しい (kuchisabishii).
口寂しい is used to describe the urge to snack or eat something purely for stimulation or habit rather than out of physical hunger.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle な to the end of 口寂しい creates a colloquial, self-muttering tone, often used when talking to oneself about the craving. To make the expression polite, use 口寂しいです.
How do you pronounce it?
kuchisabishii
Did you know?
- While 寂しい usually describes the sadness of being alone, in 口寂しい it refers to a sensory void. It treats the mouth as a separate entity that can feel a lack of companionship or stimulation.
- The adjective 寂しい can be written with two different kanji, 寂しい and 淋しい, though the former is standard. The latter specifically evokes a colder, more desolate feeling of solitude.
- The phrase is particularly useful for people quitting smoking, as it describes the specific physical and mental urge to replace a cigarette with a snack.
Examples in context
- いや、大丈夫。ただ口寂しいな。No, I'm fine. It's just that my mouth is lonely.
- わかる！私も口が寂しいんだ。I understand! My mouth is lonely too.
- 仕事中、なんとなく口寂しい。Shigoto chuu, nantonaku kuchisabishii.I feel like eating something aimlessly while working.
- お腹は空いていないけど、口寂しいな。Onaka wa suite inai kedo, kuchisabishii na.I'm not hungry, but I just want to snack on something.
Example conversation
Two friends are sitting in a cafe in the afternoon.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、何か食べる？Misaki, nani ka taberu?Misaki, do you want to eat something?
- 美咲 Misakiお腹は空いてないけど、少し口寂しいかも。Onaka wa suite nai kedo, sukoshi kuchisabishii kamo.I'm not hungry, but I feel like snacking a little.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、ケーキを頼もうか。Jaa, keeki o tanomou ka.Then, shall we order a cake?
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう、嬉しい！Arigatou, ureshii!Thank you, I'm happy!
