Describes a heavy, tired, or lethargic feeling, often with a poetic or literary nuance. Can refer to both physical and emotional weariness.
She sighed languorously.
somber; gloomy; despondent
Describes a subdued, melancholic, or downcast mood. Often used for facial expressions or atmosphere.
I spent a listless day because of the heat.
He was looking out the window with a somber expression.
Rainy afternoons feel somewhat gloomy.
Standard kanji spelling.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common but still used.
Compound of 物 (mono, 'thing') + 憂げ (uge, 'sad-looking'), the stem of 憂い (ui, 'sad') + げ (ge, '-looking'). The reading ものうげ is a standard rendaku form.