胸を撫で下ろす

• Reading: むねをなでおろす
• Romaji: mune wo nadeorosu
• Kanji breakdown: 胸 (mune/kyō) — chest, breast; 撫 (na/bu) — to stroke, caress; 下 (o/ka) — down
• Pronunciation: /mɯ.ne.o.na.de.o.ɾo.sɯ/

Meaning

To feel relieved; to breathe a sigh of relief. Describes the physical and emotional sensation of relief after anxiety.

A compound expression combining 胸 (chest) with 撫で下ろす (to stroke downward). Group 1 (godan) conjugation via 下ろす. Evokes the gesture of stroking one's chest to calm down. Used after a tense or worrying situation resolves positively.

Examples

1. 息子が無事に帰ってきて、胸を撫で下ろした。 I breathed a sigh of relief when my son came home safely.
2. 試験に合格したと聞いて、母は胸を撫で下ろした。 When she heard that he had passed the exam, his mother breathed a sigh of relief.
3. 手術が成功して、家族全員が胸を撫で下ろした。 The surgery was a success, and the whole family breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Usage Guide

Context: relief, family, health

Tone: relieved

Origin & History

From the physical gesture of stroking one's chest downward to calm anxiety. The act symbolises releasing tension from the heart area.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal