N3 · 40 words

Feelings, more finely

Frustration, nostalgia, envy, embarrassment and relief: the feelings that need more than happy and sad.

Several of these have no single English word. 悔(くや)しい is the sting of losing or falling short when you know you could have done better; 懐(なつ)かしい is the warm pull of something from your past, and Japanese says it aloud far more often than English says "that takes me back". Notice also that Japanese adjectives of feeling describe the speaker's own state: about somebody else you say they 悔(くや)しそう, look frustrated, rather than claiming to know.

The words

Verb (8)

憧れるto long for; to look up toVerbN3

子供(こども)のころから海外(かいがい)での生活(せいかつ)に憧(あこが)れていた。Since I was a child I had longed to live abroad.

Admiring a person or a life you wish you had, with に.

迷うto be unable to decide; to get lostVerbN3

どちらの大学(だいがく)に行(い)くか、まだ迷(まよ)っている。I still cannot decide which university to go to.

Also used of losing your way: 道(みち)に迷(まよ)う.

憎むto hateVerbN3

彼女(かのじょ)は戦争(せんそう)を心(こころ)から憎(にく)んでいる。She hates war with all her heart.

Strong and serious; disliking something in daily life is 嫌(きら)い.

呆れるto be appalled; to be lost for wordsVerbN3

また同(おな)じ失敗(しっぱい)をしたので、呆(あき)れてしまった。He made the same mistake again, and I was lost for words.

Shock and mild disgust at something silly or rude; often written in kana.

焦るto panic; to be flusteredVerbN3

時間(じかん)がなくて焦(あせ)ると、間違(まちが)いが増(ふ)える。When you panic because time is short, you make more mistakes.

戸惑うto be confused; to be at a lossVerbN2

急(きゅう)に英語(えいご)で質問(しつもん)されて、戸惑(とまど)った。I was thrown when I was suddenly asked a question in English.

飽きるto get tired of; to be bored withVerbN3

毎日(まいにち)同(おな)じ料理(りょうり)では飽(あ)きてしまう。You get tired of eating the same food every day.

Tired of something through repetition, with に.

恐れるto fear; to be afraid ofVerbN3

失敗(しっぱい)を恐(おそ)れていたら、何(なに)もできない。If you are afraid of failing, you will never do anything.

More formal than 怖(こわ)がる; often used of risks and consequences.

This list belongs to People and feelings — nine lists and 361 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.