Ghosting
Meaning: Suddenly cutting off all communication with someone without explanation.
Ghosting is one of the defining behaviors of modern dating culture. Instead of having an awkward breakup conversation, the person simply stops responding to texts, calls, and messages. It can happen after one date or months of dating. The term has expanded beyond romance to include friendships and professional relationships.
Examples
- I thought we had a great date, but then he started ghosting me. 我以为我们约会挺顺利的,结果他突然就不回消息了。Pensé que habíamos tenido una cita genial, pero luego empezó a hacerme ghosting.デートはうまくいったと思っていたのに、彼は急に音信不通になった。데이트가 잘 된 줄 알았는데, 그가 갑자기 잠수를 타기 시작했어.
- She ghosted me after three months of talking every day. 每天联系了三个月之后,她突然把我拉黑了。Me hizo ghosting después de tres meses hablando todos los días.毎日連絡を取り合っていた3ヶ月後に、彼女に突然シカトされた。매일 연락하던 3개월 만에 그녀가 갑자기 잠수를 탔어.
- I hate when people ghost instead of just being honest about their feelings. 我最讨厌那些不坦诚说出自己感受,直接玩消失的人。Odio cuando la gente desaparece en vez de ser sincera con sus sentimientos.正直に気持ちを伝える代わりに音信不通にする人、本当にムカつく。솔직하게 감정을 말하는 대신 잠수 타는 사람들 정말 싫어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: dating, texting, social media, relationships
Tone: frustrated, disappointed
✓ Do Say
- He totally ghosted me after our second date.第二次约会之后他彻底消失了。Me hizo ghosting total después de nuestra segunda cita.2回目のデートの後、完全に音信不通にされた。그가 두 번째 데이트 후에 완전히 잠수 탔어.
- I got ghosted again.我又被人玩消失了。Me han hecho ghosting otra vez.またゴーストされた。또 잠수 당했어.
✗ Don't Say
- Don't use 'ghosting' for brief acquaintances — it implies an established connection was abruptly severed不要用于泛泛之交——ghosting暗示一段已经建立的关系被突然切断No uses 'ghosting' para conocidos fugaces — implica que una conexión establecida fue cortada abruptamente浅い知り合いに対しては使わない——ゴースティングは確立された関係が突然断たれたことを暗示する짧은 아는 사이에는 사용하지 않는다 — 이미 형성된 관계가 갑자기 끊어진 경우에 쓴다
Origin & History
Emerged in the early 2010s alongside dating app culture. The term became widely used around 2015 when dating apps like Tinder made it easy to disappear from someone's life with no shared social connections.
Cultural Context
Era: 2010s onwards
Generation: Millennials, Gen Z
Social background: Universal
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