もどかしい

• 読み: もどかしい
• ローマ字: modokashii
• 発音: /mo̞.do̞.ka.ɕi.i/

意味

Frustrating; tantalising; impatient; irritating. Describes the feeling of being held back or unable to act as quickly or freely as one wishes.

An i-adjective with no neat single-word English equivalent. もどかしい captures a particular flavour of frustration — not anger, but a gnawing impatience born of being constrained or unable to express oneself, help someone, or resolve a situation. Common situations: watching someone struggle with something you could easily fix; failing to find the right words; waiting for a slow process to conclude. Has a poignant, somewhat literary quality.

例文

1. 言いたいことが言葉にならなくて、もどかしい思いをした。
2. 助けたくても手が届かない状況が、もどかしくてたまらなかった。
3. 返事が来るまでの間、もどかしさで何も手につかなかった。

使い方ガイド

場面: emotions, communication, relationships, literature

トーン: frustrated, longing

起源と歴史

From Old Japanese もどかし (modokashi), related to もどく (to resist, hinder, obstruct). The core image is of being obstructed or unable to proceed, creating a feeling of pent-up frustration.

文化的背景

時代: Classical to Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: General