Translation guide
A deep sigh in English can express a range of emotions—relief, exhaustion, sadness, frustration, or even romantic longing. Japanese has several words and phrases that capture these nuances, and the best choice depends on the feeling behind the sigh.
After the exam was over, I let out a deep sigh of relief.
A 'sigh of relief.' More formal or literary than ほっとため息.
He let out a sigh of relief.
Expressing tiredness, being worn out, or feeling overwhelmed.
Expressing sorrow, regret, or a heavy heart.
Expressing annoyance, irritation, or giving up.
Sighing with a 'good grief' or 'oh well' feeling. Very common in manga and everyday speech.
He sighed, 'Oh well, late again.'
A sigh of exasperation or disbelief. 呆れる means to be amazed or appalled.
Expressing yearning, love, or wistfulness.
ため息 (tameiki) is the general word for 'sigh' and can be used in most situations. 吐息 (toiki) is softer and often romantic or emotional. 嘆息 (tansoku) is formal/literary and implies grief or lamentation.
to sigh (general)
a soft sigh escapes (romantic)
to let out a sigh of grief (literary)
While 深いため息 is correct, in many contexts Japanese uses other adjectives or onomatopoeia to convey the feeling. For example, 大きなため息 (big sigh) or ほっとため息 (relieved sigh) are often more natural than always using 深い.
I was so tired I let out a huge sigh.
She let out a sad sigh.
I let out a sigh of exasperation at his excuse.
She gazed into the distance and let out a wistful sigh.