心が折れる

• Reading: こころがおれる
• Romaji: kokoro ga oreru
• Kanji breakdown: 心 (kokoro) — heart, spirit; 折 (o-) — break, snap; れる — passive/potential suffix
• Pronunciation: /ko.ko.ɾo.ɡa.o.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To lose heart; to be broken; to give up. Describes the moment when one's willpower or emotional resilience finally snaps under the weight of repeated failure or hardship.

A widely used set expression in modern Japanese describing the sudden collapse of one's motivation and resilience. Unlike simply feeling sad, 心が折れる marks a definitive breaking point — the moment a person stops trying. The expression gained enormous currency in contemporary usage around sport, workplace stress, and mental health discussions. The opposite is 心が折れない (unbreakable spirit).

Examples

1. 何度も失敗が続いて、ついに心が折れそうになった。 After one failure after another, I was on the verge of losing heart.
2. 上司の厳しい批判に、新人は心が折れてしまった。 The harsh criticism from the boss left the new employee completely broken.
3. どんな逆境でも心が折れないことが、成功の秘訣だ。 The secret to success is never letting your spirit break, no matter how tough things get.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, workplace, personal resilience

Tone: empathetic

Origin & History

A native Japanese metaphorical expression combining 心 (kokoro — heart, spirit) and 折れる (oreru — to break, to snap). The image of the heart as a physical object that can fracture under pressure is deeply resonant and widely understood across all generations.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal