言こと葉ばが見みつからない

Meanings

1

expression, i-adjective

at a loss for words; stumped for words

Used when one cannot find the right words to express something, often due to strong emotion or difficulty in articulation.

感かん動どうのあまり、言こと葉ばが見みつからなかった。
I was so moved that I was at a loss for words.
彼かの女じょにどう伝つたえればいいか、言こと葉ばが見み

つから

ない

。

I can't find the words to tell her.

Written forms

言こと葉ばが見みつからない
Standard kanji spelling for this expression.
言こと葉ばがみつからない
Kana spelling of the verb part; common in casual writing.
言こと葉ばが見み付つからない
Rare spelling using 見付かる; not commonly used for this expression.

Kanji

言say, word
葉leaf, plane, lobe
見see, hopes, chances
付adhere, attach, refer to

Similar words

言こと葉ばに詰つまる
言葉に詰まる means to be stuck for words or to falter in speech, often in a conversation. 言葉が見つからない focuses more on the inability to find the right expression, not necessarily in the middle of speaking.

Etymology

A common Japanese expression combining 言葉 (words) and 見つからない (negative potential form of 見つかる, 'to be found'). Literally 'words are not found', it naturally conveys the feeling of being at a loss for words.