劣れっ等とう感かん

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Common wordJLPTN1

Meanings

1

inferiority complex; sense of inferiority

A psychological term for a persistent feeling of being inferior to others; often used in everyday conversation as well.

Antonyms: 優越感

彼かれは学がく歴れきに劣れっ等とう感かんを持もっている。
He has an inferiority complex about his educational background.
劣れっ等とう感かんを克こく服ふくするのは簡かん単たんではない。
Overcoming a sense of inferiority is not easy.

See all 21 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に劣れっ等とう感かんを抱いだくto harbor an inferiority complex about something
彼かれは自じ分ぶんの低ひくい身しん長ちょうに劣れっ等とう感かんを抱いだいていた。
He harbored an inferiority complex about his short height.
劣れっ等とう感かんを克こく服ふくするto overcome an inferiority complex
彼かの女じょは努ど力りょくを重かさねて劣れっ等とう感かんを克こく服ふくした。
She worked hard and overcame her inferiority complex.
〈人ひと〉に劣れっ等とう感かんを感かんじるto feel inferior to someone
優ゆう秀しゅうな兄あにに劣れっ等とう感かんを感かんじることがある。
I sometimes feel inferior to my brilliant older brother.
劣れっ等とう感かんの塊かたまりa bundle of inferiority complexes (someone consumed by feelings of inferiority)
彼かれは劣れっ等とう感かんの塊かたまりで、いつも人ひとと自じ分ぶんを比くらべてしまう。
He's consumed by an inferiority complex and always compares himself to others.

Kanji

劣inferiority, be inferior to, be worse
等etc., and so forth, class (first)
感emotion, feeling, sensation

Related words

コンプレックスN1
劣等感 is the standard Japanese term for an inferiority complex, while コンプレックス (from English) is a casual loanword often used the same way, especially for specific insecurities like appearance.
引ひけ目めN1
劣等感 refers to a broad, often deep-seated sense of inferiority, while 引け目 is a lighter feeling of being at a disadvantage or embarrassed in a specific situation.
コンプ
劣等感 is a native Japanese, slightly more formal term for an inferiority complex, whereas コンプ is a casual loanword abbreviation with a broader, looser feel.
僻ひがみN1
劣等感 names the underlying inferiority complex itself, while 僻み describes the resentful, warped attitude that complex can produce.

Opposites

優ゆう越えつ感かんN1
superiority complex; sense of superiority
自じ尊そん心しんN1
劣等感 is a feeling of inferiority, the opposite of the sense of self-worth expressed by 自尊心.

Built from

劣れっ等とう+感かん

Etymology

Compound of 劣等 (inferior) + 感 (feeling). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is a modern psychological term.