Translation guide
A sad personal story told to gain sympathy, often seen as exaggerated or manipulative.
To describe a story told to elicit pity, often with a negative connotation.
Literally 'crying to make someone give in'. Refers to using tears or a sad story to manipulate someone emotionally, often to get something.
He always tries to get sympathy with a sob story.
A straightforward 'sad story'. Neutral, but can imply a sob story in context.
Literally 'a story to attract sympathy'. A more analytical way to describe a sob story.
Directly translating 'sob story' as すすり泣きの話 (susurinaki no hanashi) is unnatural and not understood. Use the idiomatic phrases above.
Literally 'please give me your tears'. Describes a story or performance that is overly sentimental and designed to make people cry.
That movie had a sob story plot.
I had to listen to his sob story again.
That's just a sob story.