The Meaning of yūutsu [憂鬱] In Japanese

憂鬱
ゆううつ
Romaji: yūutsu N2

What does 憂鬱 mean?

Translation and Meaning

melancholy, depression, gloom

Definition

憂鬱 denotes a deep, persistent feeling of sadness or gloom that colors a person’s mood; it describes a mood state rather than a transient emotion and is common in both everyday speech and literary contexts.

Type

noun (na-adjective)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Melancholy or subdued mood that colors daily life
  • Gloom or heaviness of mood, not necessarily clinical
  • Literary or descriptive use to convey somber atmosphere

Etymology

憂 (ゆう, yū) expresses worry or concern; 鬱 (うつ, utsu) conveys heaviness or gloom; together they yield the word read as yūutsu (yūutsu), representing inward sorrow.

Composition

  • 憂: worry, concern; on’yomi ユウ; kun’yomi うれえる
  • 鬱: gloom, heaviness; on’yomi ウツ; kun’yomi うつ
  • 結合: together they express inward worry and gloom, yielding a mood of melancholy

Usage

Used as a noun and in compound phrases; in daily speech one can say 憂鬱だ or 憂鬱な気分; more formal or literary contexts; in clinical discussions, it’s used as a non-technical term for feeling depressed; typical examples: 憂鬱になる, 憂鬱な天気; used with adjectives to convey mood.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: two kanji stacked—憂 for worry and 鬱 for gloom—when you hear yūutsu, imagine a person under a dark cloud overhead.

Variations

  • 陰鬱 (いんうつ) (in’utsu) — gloominess
  • 憂い (うれい) (urei) — sorrow, wistfulness
  • 鬱々 (うつうつ) (utsuutsu) — gloomily, in a state of dull heaviness
  • 落ち込む／落ち込み (おちこむ) — to feel down
  • 陰気 (いんき) (inki) — murkiness, gloom

Example Phrases

  • 今日は憂鬱で、つらくて朝の準備も進まない。
    Kyou wa yuutsu de, tsurakute asa no junbi mo susumanai.
    I’m feeling depressed today, and it’s hard, so my morning preparations aren’t getting done.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (kyou wa) – today
    • 憂鬱で (yuutsu de) – depressed, in a melancholic mood
    • つらくて (tsurakute) – painful / hard (to bear)
    • 朝の準備も (asa no junbi mo) – morning preparations also
    • 進まない (susumanai) – does not progress
    憂鬱 is a noun meaning ‘melancholy’; here it appears as 「憂鬱で」 to connect to the next clause, indicating a state.
憂鬱