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呆然 (ぼうぜん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

呆然ぼうぜん

also: もうぜん

ぼ

う

ぜ

ん

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle

dumbfounded; in a daze; stunned

Describes a state of being so shocked or surprised that one is momentarily unable to react. Often used with とする or となる.

突とつ然ぜんの知しらせに、彼かれは呆然ぼうぜんとした。
He was dumbfounded by the sudden news.
呆然ぼうぜんと立たち尽

つ

くす

しか

なかっ

た

。

I could only stand there in a daze.

Written forms

呆然ぼうぜんUsage61%
Standard kanji spelling for the reading ぼうぜん.
茫ぼう然ぜんUsage35%
Alternate kanji spelling; also read ぼうぜん.
ぼうぜんUsage3%
ぼう然ぜんUsage2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji-kana mixed form.
惘然Usage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
- もうぜん
  Rare kanji form with reading もうぜん.
- ぼうぜん
ボーゼン
Search-only katakana form.
もうぜん

Kanji

呆be amazed, disgusted, shocked
然sort of thing, so, if so
茫wide, extensive
惘

Similar words

唖あ然ぜん
唖然 emphasizes being speechless from shock, while 呆然 focuses more on a blank, dazed state.
茫ぼう然ぜん自じ失しつ
A stronger, more formal compound meaning 'completely stupefied' or 'in a trance', often used in literary contexts.

Etymology

The kanji 呆 (dumbfounded) and 然 (state) combine to express a state of being stunned. The reading ぼうぜん is standard; もうぜん is a rare alternative reading for the 惘然 form.

unclear, be astonished