Translation guide
Describes a belief that life lacks meaning, value, or purpose, or an attitude rejecting established norms and values.
Expressing the philosophical stance that existence is meaningless.
The most direct adjective meaning 'nihilistic' in a philosophical sense.
He has a nihilistic way of thinking.
Literally 'of nihilism', used as an adjective to describe something related to the philosophy.
I was influenced by nihilistic philosophy.
Loanword from English, used in academic or casual contexts.
That movie is very nihilistic.
Describing a person or behavior that dismisses social, moral, or cultural values.
Same word as above, but applied to attitudes or behavior.
I was surprised by his nihilistic attitude.
Means 'to deny everything', capturing the rejection aspect of nihilism.
Means 'cynical', often overlapping with nihilistic attitudes in Japanese.
Expressing a personal feeling that everything is pointless.
Adjective meaning 'empty' or 'futile', commonly used to express a nihilistic feeling.
No matter what I do, I feel empty (nihilistic).
Noun meaning 'feeling of emptiness' or 'sense of nihilism'.
Means 'to feel meaningless', a common way to express nihilistic sentiments.
When expressing a personal feeling of emptiness, using 虚無的 directly can sound overly philosophical or stiff. Instead, use むなしい or 虚無感 for natural expression.
虚無的 is the standard Japanese term and works in both formal and casual contexts. ニヒリスティック is a loanword that feels more modern or casual, often used in pop culture or informal discussions.
He made a remark that seemed to deny everything.
I dislike his cynical (nihilistic) way of looking at things.
虚無感に襲われた。
I was overcome by a feeling of nihilism.
Life feels meaningless.