Emotions & Mental States

Introduction

This chapter explores the inner vocabulary of advanced Japanese: the words used for hesitation, fixation, desire, resentment, relief, and the many shaded mental states that simpler textbooks usually flatten.

They are especially important in essays, memoir, interviews, and literature, where emotional precision often carries more weight than explicit explanation.

Themes

All JLPT N1 Vocabulary in This Chapter (98)

1. 哀惜 あいせき Grief; sorrow; deep regret; mourning. Expresses profound lamentation over an irreplaceable loss.
2. 哀切 あいせつ Pathetic; touching; plaintive; sorrowful. Describes something that is so steeped in sorrow it cuts to the heart.
3. 愛憎 あいぞう Love and hate; mixed feelings of affection and resentment. Describes the complex coexistence of opposing emotions toward the same person ...
4. 唖然 あぜん Dumbfounded; speechless; stunned; flabbergasted. Describes being rendered utterly speechless by shock or astonishment.
5. 哀れみ あわれみ Pity; compassion; sympathy; mercy. The feeling of sorrow and concern stirred by another's suffering or misfortune.
6. 安堵 あんど Relief; reassurance; peace of mind. The calming sensation that follows the resolution of anxiety or uncertainty.
7. 憤り いきどおり Indignation; anger; resentment; outrage. A burning sense of anger arising from perceived injustice or moral wrong.
8. 畏敬 いけい Awe; reverence; veneration. A profound sense of respect mingled with a humbling awareness of one's own smallness before something vast or...
9. 遺恨 いこん Grudge; resentment; regret; bitterness. A deep resentment that lingers long after the original wound, as if left behind in the soul.
10. 一喜一憂 いっきいちゆう Alternating between hope and fear; emotional ups and downs. Being tossed between joy and anxiety in response to each development.
11. 畏怖 いふ Awe; dread; fear and reverence. A primal feeling of reverential terror before something overwhelmingly powerful or sacred.
12. 陰鬱 いんうつ Gloomy; melancholy; dismal; depressing. Describes a pervasive, suffocating atmosphere of darkness and low spirits.
13. 浮かれる うかれる To be in high spirits; to be elated; to be carried away by excitement. Describes a state of giddy, floating exhilaration.
14. 後ろめたい うしろめたい Guilty; ashamed; having a guilty conscience. The uneasy feeling that something one has done — or failed to do — was wrong.
15. 打ちひしがれる うちひしがれる To be crushed; to be overwhelmed; to be devastated. Describes being emotionally flattened by grief, shock, or an overwhelming blow.
16. 恨み うらみ Grudge; resentment; bitterness; regret. A deep, lingering negative feeling toward someone who has caused harm or injustice.
17. 憂い うれい Grief; sorrow; worry; anxiety. A deep, inward-looking melancholy or concern, often about the state of the world or one's circumstances.
18. 嬉しさ うれしさ Happiness; joy; delight; gladness. The quality or degree of being pleased or overjoyed by a positive event.
19. 怨恨 えんこん Grudge; enmity; deep resentment; animosity. A profound and enduring hatred or bitterness arising from a serious wrong.
20. 恩讐 おんしゅう Love and hatred; gratitude and revenge. The complex intermingling of deep indebtedness and bitter enmity toward the same person or situat...
21. 快感 かいかん Pleasant feeling; pleasure; thrill. A satisfying or exhilarating sensation arising from physical, intellectual, or aesthetic stimulation.
22. 悔恨 かいこん Regret; remorse; repentance. A deep, inward-directed bitterness over one's own past actions or failures.
23. 快哉 かいさい Shout of triumph; elation; exultation. The surge of jubilant satisfaction upon achieving victory or vindication.
24. 快哉を叫ぶ かいさいをさけぶ To shout with joy; to cry out in triumph. To give voice — outwardly or inwardly — to a surge of triumphant elation.
25. 感慨深い かんがいぶかい Deeply moving; profoundly emotional; touching. Describes a moment that stirs deep, reflective feeling — often when revisiting the past or...
26. 歓喜 かんき Delight; great joy; rapture; ecstasy. An intense, exuberant feeling of happiness that is often shared with others.
27. 寛恕 かんじょ Forgiveness; magnanimity; leniency; pardon. The generous act of overlooking another's fault with a broad and tolerant heart.
28. 感無量 かんむりょう Deeply moved; overwhelmed with emotion. Describes a state in which feelings are too profound and numerous to express in words.
29. 感銘 かんめい Deep impression; being deeply moved. A feeling that is etched into the heart by something profoundly admirable or beautiful.
30. 愕然 がくぜん Astonished; shocked; stunned; aghast. Describes a state of being struck speechless by an unexpected or disturbing revelation.
31. 気負い きおい Eagerness; being psyched up; over-enthusiasm. The state of being wound too tight before a challenge, often to the point of being counterp...
32. 気概 きがい Spirit; backbone; mettle; resolve. The inner fortitude and determined will to confront hardship without flinching.
33. 喜怒哀楽 きどあいらく Human emotions; the full spectrum of feelings represented as joy, anger, grief, and pleasure. A four-character compound (yojijukugo) enco...
34. 気恥ずかしい きはずかしい Embarrassing; shy; bashful; self-conscious. A mild, inward-looking embarrassment that arises from being the focus of attention or revisit...
35. 驚愕 きょうがく Astonishment; shock; amazement. An overwhelming state of being stunned by something utterly unexpected.
36. 恐縮 きょうしゅく Feeling obliged; being sorry; deeply grateful and apologetic. A polite expression of being humbled and overwhelmed by another's kindness ...
37. 驚嘆 きょうたん Amazement; admiration; wonder. A sense of being struck with awe and deep admiration at something extraordinary.
38. 虚脱 きょだつ Prostration; collapse; despondency; lethargy. A state of complete emotional or physical emptiness following intense exertion, shock, or d...
39. 義憤 ぎふん Righteous indignation; moral outrage. Anger that arises not from personal injury but from witnessing injustice or a violation of ethical ...
40. 苦渋 くじゅう Bitterness; anguish; painful decision. The deeply unpleasant feeling of being forced to choose between difficult options or endure hardship.
41. 屈託 くったく Worry; care; concern; dejection. A weight on the mind from accumulated anxieties or cares, often resulting in a subdued or downcast demea...
42. 敬愛 けいあい Respect and affection; love and admiration. A feeling that combines deep respect with warm personal attachment.
43. 嫌悪 けんお Disgust; hatred; loathing; aversion. A strong feeling of repulsion towards something considered morally or aesthetically offensive.
44. 倦怠 けんたい Weariness; boredom; fatigue; languor. A deep exhaustion of spirit arising from monotony, lack of stimulation, or prolonged strain.
45. 激昂 げきこう Rage; fury; indignation; excitement. A state of being inflamed with intense, uncontrolled anger or emotional arousal.
46. 逆鱗 げきりん Fury; wrath; touching a sore spot. Specifically refers to incurring the fierce anger of a powerful person, derived from the myth of the d...
47. 恍惚 こうこつ Ecstasy; rapture; trance; fascination. A state of being so entranced by beauty, pleasure, or sensation that one loses awareness of the su...
48. 高揚 こうよう Elation; exaltation; uplift; heightening. A lifting or intensification of mood, spirit, or energy, often in a positive and energising dir...
49. 心が洗われる こころがあらわれる To feel purified; to be spiritually cleansed. Describes the refreshing, purifying effect that a beautiful sight, piece of music, or kind ...
50. 心が折れる こころがおれる To lose heart; to be broken; to give up. Describes the moment when one's willpower or emotional resilience finally snaps under the weight...
51. 心を鬼にする こころをおににする To steel oneself; to harden one's heart; to be ruthlessly decisive for someone's own good. Forcing oneself to act severely despite compas...
52. 思慕 しぼ Yearning; longing; adoration. A deep emotional attachment or wistful longing for a person, often with tenderness or reverence.
53. 羞恥 しゅうち Shame; embarrassment; bashfulness. A feeling of humiliation or self-consciousness caused by exposure, failure, or vulnerability before ot...
54. 衝撃を受ける しょうげきをうける To be shocked; to receive a blow; to be struck with powerful impact. Describes a sudden and profound emotional or physical jolt.
55. 心機一転 しんきいってん Turning over a new leaf; a complete change of mindset; fresh start with renewed determination after a decisive shift in attitude.
56. 心酔 しんすい Infatuation; deep admiration; being completely captivated by someone or something to the point of uncritical devotion.
57. 心底 しんそこ From the bottom of one's heart; truly; sincerely; deeply. Expresses a completely genuine and heartfelt emotion or conviction.
58. 慈愛 じあい Affection; compassion; benevolent love. A warm, selfless love that seeks the well-being of others without expectation of return.
59. 自責 じせき Self-reproach; self-blame; remorse. The act of holding oneself responsible and condemning oneself for a mistake or wrongdoing.
60. 自嘲 じちょう Self-mockery; self-deprecation; self-ridicule. Making fun of or belittling one's own faults, failures, or situation, often with bitter hu...
61. 慈悲 じひ Mercy; compassion; benevolence; charity. Deep sympathy for suffering beings, accompanied by the wish to alleviate that suffering.
62. 自負 じふ Pride; self-confidence; self-assurance. A strong, justified sense of confidence in one's own abilities, achievements, or character.
63. 惜別 せきべつ Reluctant parting; regret at separation; sorrow at saying farewell to someone dear, especially when the parting feels premature or final.
64. 寂寥 せきりょう Loneliness; desolation; solitude. A profound, atmospheric sense of emptiness and isolation, deeper than ordinary loneliness.
65. 切望 せつぼう Earnest desire; fervent longing; craving. An intensely heartfelt wish or aspiration for something one needs or deeply wants.
66. 戦慄 せんりつ Shudder; shiver; trembling with horror or awe. An involuntary physical trembling caused by intense fear, dread, or overwhelming emotion.
67. 達観 たっかん Philosophical outlook; broad-mindedness; transcendent detachment. The ability to view situations with deep, calm insight, unperturbed by ...
68. 惰性 だせい Inertia; force of habit; doing something out of momentum rather than intention. Continuing a behaviour simply because it has always been ...
69. 敵意 てきい Hostility; animosity; enmity; antagonism. A feeling of active aggression or ill-will directed toward another person or group.
70. 慟哭 どうこく Wailing; lamentation; bitter, uncontrollable weeping. Expressing overwhelming grief through anguished, unrestrained crying.
71. 嘆き なげき Grief; lamentation; sorrow; a heartfelt complaint or expression of distress about circumstances beyond one's control.
72. 涙ぐむ なみだぐむ To be moved to tears; to tear up; to have one's eyes fill with tears. Describes the emotional threshold just before crying.
73. 苦い経験 にがいけいけん Bitter experience; painful lesson. A difficult past event that left a lasting, unpleasant impression — often one from which something was...
74. 歯痒さ はがゆさ Frustration; vexation; the feeling of helpless irritation. The noun form expressing the sustained state of being unable to act or resolve...
75. 吐き気 はきけ Nausea; a sensation of wanting to vomit. Also used figuratively to describe intense disgust or revulsion.
76. 腹に据えかねる はらにすえかねる To be unable to contain one's anger; to be so furious that one can no longer hold it in.
77. 張り合い はりあい Motivation; a sense of purpose that makes effort feel worthwhile; something to strive for.
78. 煩悶 はんもん Anguish; agony; tormenting worry that one cannot resolve or escape.
79. 悲嘆 ひたん Deep grief; lamentation; profound sorrow, especially in response to loss or tragedy.
80. 奮い立つ ふるいたつ To be inspired; to be roused to action; to feel a sudden surge of energy or determination.
81. 憤慨 ふんがい Indignation; outrage; feeling deeply and righteously angry at injustice or misconduct.
82. 侮蔑 ぶべつ Contempt; scorn; an attitude of regarding someone as worthless or undeserving of respect.
83. 蔑視 べっし Contempt; looking down on someone; regarding a person or group as inferior.
84. 報復 ほうふく Retaliation; reprisal; a deliberate act of revenge or retribution in response to a wrong.
85. 望郷 ぼうきょう Homesickness; a deep longing for one's hometown or native land.
86. 慕情 ぼじょう Longing; deep yearning; tender love or affection, especially for someone who is absent.
87. 満ち足りる みちたりる To be fully content; to feel completely satisfied and fulfilled, with nothing lacking.
88. 未練 みれん Lingering attachment; reluctance to let go; residual regret or affection for something past.
89. 虫の知らせ むしのしらせ A premonition; an instinctive feeling that something bad is about to happen; a sixth sense.
90. 胸騒ぎ むなさわぎ A vague sense of unease or foreboding; an unsettled fluttering in the chest that something is wrong.
91. 胸が痛む むねがいたむ To feel heartache; to be pained with grief, sympathy, or deep distress.
92. 胸を打つ むねをうつ To strike one's heart; to be deeply moving or emotionally touching.
93. 物思い ものおもい Pensive brooding; melancholy reflection; being lost in thought with a wistful or sorrowful quality.
94. 安らぎ やすらぎ Peace; tranquillity; a calming sense of comfort and serenity.
95. やり場のない やりばのない With no outlet for one's feelings; pent-up; having nowhere to direct one's emotions.
96. 憂鬱 ゆううつ Depression; melancholy; a pervasive sense of gloom, heaviness, or low spirits.
97. 憐憫 れんびん Pity; compassion; sympathy; tender sorrow for someone else's suffering or misfortune.
98. 狼狽 ろうばい Panic; fluster; sudden confusion and loss of composure when caught completely off-guard.