Translation guide
The act of suddenly cutting off all communication with someone without explanation, especially in dating or social contexts.
To describe the act of disappearing from someone's life by stopping all communication without warning.
A common phrase meaning 'to become incommunicado' or 'to cut off contact'. It implies a sudden stop in communication, similar to ghosting.
彼から急に音信不通になった。
He suddenly ghosted me.
Literally 'to sever contact'. A more direct way to say someone cut off communication.
To express that someone has been ghosted by another person.
Specifically for messaging apps like LINE. Means 'to be left on read'—the other person reads your message but doesn't reply, a common form of ghosting.
告白したら既読スルーされた。
I confessed my feelings and got ghosted (left on read).
To use the English loanword 'ghosting' in Japanese, which is widely understood among younger people.
The direct loanword for 'ghosting'. Commonly used in discussions about modern dating culture.
ゴースティングは最低だよね。
Ghosting is the worst, right?
The verb form 'to ghost'. Used in casual conversation.
Avoid directly translating 'ghost' as 幽霊 (ゆうれい) in this context. It will not be understood as the social phenomenon.
In Japanese, the concept of suddenly cutting contact is often described with phrases like 音信不通, but the English loanword ゴースティング is common among younger people familiar with Western dating culture.
She ghosted me without any explanation.
Means 'to evaporate' or 'to vanish'. Used colloquially to describe someone disappearing from your life, similar to ghosting but with a stronger sense of vanishing.
デートの後、彼は蒸発した。
After the date, he ghosted me.
Borrowed from English 'fade out'. Used when someone gradually reduces contact until they disappear, rather than a sudden cut-off.
最近、友達にフェードアウトされて寂しい。
Lately, I've been ghosted by a friend and it's lonely.
I was ghosted by him.