仕損じる

• Reading: しそんじる
• Romaji: shisonjiru
• Kanji breakdown: 仕 (shi) — to do, to perform; 損 (son) — loss, damage; じる — verb-forming suffix
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.son.dʑi.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To fail; to bungle; to make a mistake in performing a task; to botch.

A Group 2 (ichidan) compound verb formed from 仕 (to do, to perform) and 損じる (to damage, to spoil). It describes failing to execute a task properly, implying effort was made but the result was flawed or incomplete. More literary and formal than しくじる or 失敗する, it is often found in classical texts or formal narratives when describing a significant, often irreversible failure.

Examples

1. 大事な場面で仕損じてしまい、チームに申し訳なかった。 I botched a critical moment and felt terrible for letting the team down.
2. 一世一代の機会を仕損じた悔しさは長年消えなかった。 The regret of having bungled a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity lingered for many years.
3. 刺客は任務を仕損じ、逃亡することを余儀なくされた。 The assassin failed in the mission and was forced to flee.

Usage Guide

Context: literary, historical narrative, formal apology, professional failure

Tone: remorseful

Origin & History

Compound of 仕 (the classical prefix for performing a task, from 仕える meaning to serve) and 損じる (to damage or ruin, from 損 meaning loss or damage). The combination describes a task that ends in damage or failure rather than completion.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated