Translation guide
The state of being emotionally distant or separated from someone or something, often after a close relationship. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various words and phrases that emphasize emotional distance, alienation, or the breaking of ties.
Describing a feeling of being disconnected or distant from a partner, family member, or friend.
Refers to a state of being out of touch or estranged, often due to gradual loss of contact. Commonly used for relationships that have grown distant.
I've become estranged from him lately.
Literally 'hearts grow apart', used to describe emotional estrangement in a relationship.
If you don't see each other for a long time, you can become emotionally estranged.
A gap or distance, often emotional, that has formed between people.
A great estrangement has grown between the two of them.
Feeling isolated or disconnected from a community, workplace, or society at large.
A psychological state of being disconnected from oneself, one's emotions, or one's true nature.
A deliberate and often permanent breaking off of family ties or close bonds.
疎遠 (soen) implies a gradual drifting apart, often without a dramatic event. 絶縁 (zetsuen) is a deliberate, often formal severance, like disowning a family member. Use 疎遠 for natural distance, 絶縁 for intentional cutting off.
The English word 'estrangement' covers a wide range of situations. Avoid directly translating it as a single Japanese word in all contexts. Choose the term that matches the specific type of distance or alienation.
He is estranged from his classmates.
I'm so busy I feel estranged from myself.
親と縁を切るのは簡単ではない。
It's not easy to become estranged from your parents.