Word
切ない
Meaning in Englishpainful, trying, sad
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
What does 切ない mean? It describes a bittersweet emotional ache that grips the heart when longing, nostalgia, or unfulfilled desire is felt; the core idea is a sharp, lingering sadness that is tender rather than brutal.
Main meanings
- 悲しい (kanashii) — sadness mixed with longing or pain
- 物悲しい (monoganashii) — melancholic, quietly desolate mood
- やるせない (yarusenai) — heart-wrenching, powerless ache
- 侘しい (wabashii) — desolate, forlorn atmosphere
How to use it
As an i-adjective, 切ない is used to describe emotional states and situations. It is common in casual speech and literature, and can modify a noun directly as 切ない気持ち, or appear in phrases to convey mood. It typically denotes inward emotional pain rather than physical pain and often appears in romantic or melancholic contexts, including songs, films, and prose.
Variants and close terms
- 悲しい (kanashii) — synonym; sadness
- 物悲しい (monoganashii) — melancholic
- やるせない (yarusenai) — heart-wrenching
- 侘しい (wabashii) — desolate
- antonym: 楽しい (tanoshii) — joyful
Composition
- 切: to cut; sharp edge; metaphor for a piercing emotional impact
- ない: negative suffix; attaches to the stem of an i-adjective to negate or form the 'setsunai' nuance
Word class
i-adjective (形容詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N2
切っ掛け
kikkake
chance, start, cue, excuse, motive, impetus, occassion
N2
区切る
kugiru
to punctuate, to cut off, to mark off
N2
締切
shimekiri
deadline
N2
締め切り
shimekiri
deadline, closing, cut-off, end
N2
締め切る
shimekiru
to close, cancel
N2
張り切る
harikiru
to be in high spirits, to be full of vigor
N2
踏切
fumikiri
railway crossing, level crossing, starting line, scratch, crossover
N3
裏切る
uragiru
betray, turn against
N3
切れ
kire
cut piece, slice, cut
Kanji