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憂鬱 (ゆううつ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N2 Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Meanings 1
noun, na-adjective
depression ; melancholy ; gloom
Describes a heavy, lingering sadness or low spirits; can be used as a noun or a na-adjective. Often associated with clinical depression or a gloomy atmosphere.
When the rain continues for a long time, I get depressed.
Written forms 憂ゆう 鬱うつ Usage 81%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
憂ゆう うつ Usage 9%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
ゆううつ Usage 4%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji are considered difficult.
憂ゆう 欝うつ Usage 4%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
ユウウツ Usage 1%
幽ゆう 鬱うつ Usage <1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
悒ゆう 鬱うつ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
Kanji 憂 melancholy, grieve, lament 鬱 gloom, depression, melancholy 欝 gloom, depression, melancholy Similar words 鬱うつ Often used in medical or clinical contexts (e.g., 鬱病). 憂鬱 is more general and can describe everyday gloom.
気き 分ぶん が 沈しず む A common phrase meaning 'to feel down'; less formal and more temporary than 憂鬱.
Etymology The kanji 憂 means 'worry' or 'grief', and 鬱 means 'gloom' or 'stagnation'. The combination has been used since classical Chinese to express deep melancholy. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with this meaning.
seclude, confine to a room, deep
