鬱
gloom, depression, melancholy, luxuriant
Readings
On'yomi
- ウツ
Kun'yomi
- うっ.する
- ふさ.ぐ
- しげ.る
Meaning
鬱 centers on a dense, heavy, and tangled state: emotional gloom and depression, or physical lushness and overgrowth. The meanings share the idea of something thickly packed and hard to see through.
Most common words using 鬱
20 of 37- 鬱うつ
depression; low spirits
- 憂鬱ゆううつN2
depression; melancholy; dejection; gloom; despondency
- 鬱陶しいうっとうしいN2
gloomy (e.g. mood); depressing
- 鬱金うこん
turmeric (Curcuma domestica)
- 鬱憤うっぷん
resentment; grudge; pent-up anger; frustration; bitterness
- 陰鬱いんうつ
gloomy; melancholy; dreary; depressed; dismal
- 鬱屈うっくつ
gloomy
- 鬱々うつうつ
gloomy; melancholy; pessimistic
- 躁鬱そううつ
manic depression; mood swing
- 鬱積うっせき
accumulation (of discontent, frustration, etc.); buildup; suppression (e.g. of anger)
- 鬱蒼うっそう
thick; dense; luxuriant
- 憂鬱症ゆううつしょう
melancholia; severe depression
- 憂鬱質ゆううつしつ
susceptibility to depression
- 抑鬱よくうつ
dejection; depression
- 暗鬱あんうつ
gloom; melancholy
- 気鬱きうつ
gloom; mental depression
- 気鬱症きうつしょう
depression; melancholy
- 沈鬱ちんうつ
melancholy; gloom; depression
- 産後抑鬱症さんごよくうつしょう
postpartum depression; postnatal depression
- 産後鬱さんごうつ
postpartum depression; postnatal depression
Study
Etymology
鬱 is a complex character whose exact historical development is uncertain. It likely combines elements suggesting dense vegetation (林, 冖) with a container (缶) and decorative strokes (彡), together conveying the idea of something thickly packed or pent-up.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a forest (林) so thick that it covers everything like a lid (冖), with tangled vines (彡) wrapping around a sealed jar (缶) and a dense thicket (鬯). The whole scene is suffocatingly lush and gloomy—鬱.
Reading mnemonic
For ウツ, imagine the heavy, oppressive air of a dense forest making you mutter 'oots' (like a deep sigh) as you push through the gloom: 'oots' -> ウツ.