憤慨

• Reading: ふんがい
• Romaji: fungai
• Kanji breakdown: 憤 (fun) — indignant, resentful; 慨 (gai) — lament, feel strongly
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯŋ.gai/

Meaning

Indignation; outrage; feeling deeply and righteously angry at injustice or misconduct.

A noun (also 憤慨する as a suru verb) expressing strong moral anger, typically directed at perceived unfairness, misconduct, or disrespect. Unlike 怒り (anger in general), 憤慨 carries a sense of righteous indignation — the anger is warranted by the circumstances. Common in formal speech, political commentary, and journalism.

Examples

1. 不正な審判に観客は憤慨し、スタジアムはブーイングで沸いた。 Outraged by the unfair call, the spectators filled the stadium with boos.
2. 彼は政府の隠蔽体質に憤慨して、記者会見で声を荒げた。 Indignant at the government's culture of cover-ups, he raised his voice at the press conference.
3. 理不尽な扱いを受けた市民たちの憤慨が、やがて抗議運動へと発展した。 The indignation of citizens subjected to unreasonable treatment eventually grew into a protest movement.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, injustice, public reaction, confrontation

Tone: intense

Origin & History

Compound of 憤 (indignant, resentful) and 慨 (to lament, to feel strongly). Both characters convey emotional force directed at injustice, and together they form a word specifically for moral fury.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal