うつむく

• Reading: うつむく
• Romaji: utsumuku
• Pronunciation: /ɯ.tsɯ.mɯ.kɯ/

Meaning

To hang one's head; to look down; to cast one's eyes downward.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb describing the action of lowering one's head or looking downward. Often conveys sadness, shame, shyness, or deep thought. The kanji 俯 exists but hiragana is more commonly used. Frequently appears in novels and descriptive passages to portray emotional state through body language.

Examples

1. 彼女は恥ずかしそうにうつむいてしまった。 She hung her head as if embarrassed.
2. 叱られた子供がうつむいたまま黙っていた。 The child who had been scolded stood silent with their head down.
3. 何か考え事をしているのか、ずっとうつむいている。 She must be deep in thought — she's been looking down the whole time.

Usage Guide

Context: emotional descriptions, literature, daily life

Tone: subdued

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 俯 combines 亻 (person) and 府 (bend down, bow), literally depicting a person bending their head forward. The hiragana form has become standard in modern writing.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal