for amusement; to distract oneself from grief
Used when someone does something to relieve pent-up frustration, sadness, or stress. Often follows verbs like 行く, 出かける, 飲む.
I went to karaoke to blow off some steam.
He drank to drown his sorrows.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Kana for 憂さ, kanji for 晴らし.
Kanji for 憂さ, kana for はらし.
From 憂さ (grief, sorrow) + を + 晴らし (continuative form of 晴らす, to dispel) + に (adverbial particle). Literally 'in order to dispel one's gloom'.