Translation guide
The English word 'sinking' can refer to physical submersion, emotional feelings, or abstract decline. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
Describing something going down into water or other liquid
The most common verb for sinking, used for ships, objects, or people. Intransitive.
The ship is sinking.
He sank into the pond.
Transitive verb meaning to sink something deliberately.
They sank the enemy ship.
Formal/literary term for sinking or submerging, often used in written contexts.
The sun sinks below the horizon.
Expressing a sudden feeling of dread, disappointment, or sadness
Literally 'heart sinks', a common expression for feeling down or depressed.
My heart sank when I heard the news.
Means 'mood sinks', similar to feeling gloomy.
On rainy days, my spirits sink.
Means to feel down or depressed, often used for a sinking emotional state.
Describing sinking into a soft surface like mud or snow
Describing a gradual decline in quality, value, or condition
Means to decline or drop, used for levels, standards, etc.
The quality is sinking.
Can mean to fall or drop, often used for rankings or performance.
Formal term for stagnation or sinking into a slump, often economic.
The economy is sinking into stagnation.
Describing the sun or moon going below the horizon
While '心が沈む' is natural, directly translating 'my heart sank' as '私の心は沈んだ' can sound awkward. Use the phrase as a whole.
失敗して落ち込んでいる。
I'm feeling down (sinking) after failing.
雪に足がめり込んだ。
My feet sank into the snow.
成績が落ちている。
My grades are sinking.
月が山の向こうに没した。
The moon sank behind the mountain.