Translation guide
Describes the physical action of lowering one's head, often expressing shame, sadness, or defeat. Japanese uses several verbs and phrases depending on the nuance.
To lower one's head because of shame, guilt, or embarrassment.
To lower one's head due to sadness, disappointment, or feeling down.
To lower one's head as a sign of giving up, admitting defeat, or submitting.
A more formal or literary expression meaning 'to hang one's head' or 'to bow one's head', often used in contexts of defeat, humility, or deep respect.
敗者は頭を垂れて立ち去った。
The loser hung his head and left.
うつむく is a general term for looking down, often due to shyness, embarrassment, or avoiding eye contact. うなだれる specifically implies a drooping, dejected hanging of the head from sadness or despair. Use うつむく for mild shame, and うなだれる for deep disappointment.
彼は恥ずかしくてうつむいた。
He hung his head in embarrassment.
彼は失恋してうなだれた。
He hung his head after being rejected in love.
The most common and natural way to say 'hang one's head' in the sense of looking down in shame or sadness. It's a verb that means to bow or bend one's head forward.
彼は恥ずかしそうにうつむいた。
He hung his head in embarrassment.
叱られて、子供はうつむいてしまった。
Scolded, the child hung his head.
Literally 'to lay one's face down', implying hiding one's face by lowering the head, often due to shame or to avoid eye contact.
彼女は恥ずかしくて顔を伏せた。
She hung her head in shame.
Means 'to look down' or 'to face downward'. It can be used for hanging one's head, but is more general and can simply mean looking at the ground.
彼は何も言わずに下を向いていた。
He hung his head without saying anything.
Specifically means to hang one's head in dejection or despair. It conveys a drooping, defeated posture.
不合格の知らせに、彼はがっくりとうなだれた。
He hung his head in disappointment at the news of failing.
彼女は悲しみにうなだれていた。
She hung her head in sorrow.
Literally 'to drop one's shoulders', this phrase describes a dejected posture that often includes hanging the head. It emphasizes the overall body language of disappointment.
彼は落胆して肩を落とした。
He hung his head in discouragement.
Similar to 頭を垂れる but uses 'neck' instead of 'head'. It can sound slightly more literary or poetic.
彼は罪を認めて首を垂れた。
He admitted his guilt and hung his head.