感動した

• Reading: かんどうした
• Romaji: kandō shita
• Kanji breakdown: 感 (feeling/emotion) + 動 (move) → to be emotionally moved; した (past tense)
• Pronunciation: /ka.n.do.u shi.ta/

Meaning

I'm moved or deeply impressed — expressing that something has touched you emotionally.

While 感動 is a standard Japanese word meaning 'being emotionally moved,' the casual past tense 感動した is frequently used as a quick, sincere compliment. It expresses genuine emotional impact — the feeling you get from a beautiful performance, a touching story, or witnessing someone's growth. Stronger and more emotional than すごい, it tells someone their work or actions genuinely touched your heart.

Examples

1. 卒業式のスピーチに感動した、泣いちゃった。 I was so moved by the graduation speech — I ended up crying.
2. この映画はラスト10分で感動した。 This movie got me in the last 10 minutes — I was so moved.
3. 子供の成長を見て感動したよ。 Seeing the kids grow up really moved me.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, social media, events, reviews

Tone: sincere, emotional

Do Say

• 感動した、ありがとう。 (I'm moved, thank you.)
• 最後のシーンで感動して泣いた。 (I was so moved by the last scene that I cried.)

Don't Say

• 何にでも「感動した」を使うと軽く聞こえる (Using 'kandō shita' for everything makes it sound insincere)

Common Mistakes

• Overusing 感動した until it loses emotional weight — save it for genuinely touching moments

Origin & History

From 感 (feeling/emotion) + 動 (move). The concept of being 'emotionally moved' has been expressed with this kanji compound for centuries. 感動した as a casual compliment became ubiquitous with social media, where it serves as a sincere, slightly formal-feeling reaction.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional expression, social media amplified

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. One of the most common ways to express genuine emotional impact.