Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

魂消る (たまぎる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

魂たま消ぎる

た

ま

ぎ

る

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be astonished; be startled; be appalled

archaic

Archaic intransitive verb expressing strong surprise or shock. In modern Japanese, たまげる or びっくりする are used instead.

See also: 魂消る

昔むかし話ばなしでは、鬼おにの姿すがたを見みて主しゅ人じん公こうがたまぎる

場ば

面めん

が

ある

。

In old tales, there is a scene where the hero is astonished upon seeing an ogre.

Kanji

魂soul, spirit
消extinguish, blow out, turn off

Similar words

たまげる
Modern colloquial equivalent meaning 'to be astonished'. たまぎる is its archaic predecessor.
びっくりする
Common modern expression for 'to be surprised'. たまぎる is archaic and not used in contemporary speech.

Etymology

Derived from 魂 (tama, 'soul') + 消る (kiru, 'to disappear'), literally 'one's soul vanishes'. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it is an old expression for extreme shock.