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ヘコむ (へこむ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ヘコむ

Meanings

1

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

feel down; be disheartened; feel depressed

colloquial

Colloquial expression for feeling emotionally down or discouraged, often after a setback or criticism. The katakana spelling ヘコむ is typical for this sense, distinguishing it from the literal 'dent' meaning of 凹む.

See also: 凹む (へこむ)

試し験けんに落おちてヘコんでいる。
I'm feeling down because I failed the exam.

彼かれに悪わる口ぐちを言いわれて、すごくヘコんだ。

I felt really depressed after he said mean things to me.

Similar words

凹へこむ
凹む (へこむ) primarily means 'to become dented' or 'to cave in' physically. ヘコむ is a colloquial extension used for emotional states, often written in katakana to emphasize the slangy, figurative meaning.
落おち込こむ
落ち込む is a more standard and slightly formal way to say 'feel depressed' or 'be in low spirits'. ヘコむ is more casual and often implies a temporary, reactive down feeling.

Etymology

Colloquial figurative extension of 凹む (へこむ, 'to become dented'), likening emotional deflation to a physical dent. The katakana spelling ヘコむ helps mark the slang usage.