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B1 noun #7,000 le plus courant 11 min de lecture

疎外感

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces 疎外感 en 30 secondes

Explication 疎外感 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to use 'sogaikan' yourself, but you might start to see the kanji for 'feeling' (感) and 'outside' (外). At this stage, learners usually express similar feelings with simpler words like 'sabishii' (lonely) or 'hitori' (alone). However, understanding that Japanese has a specific word for 'feeling like an outsider' is a great introduction to Japanese culture. Think of it as the feeling you get when everyone is speaking Japanese and you only know 'Arigato.' That specific 'left out' feeling is what this word describes. You can remember it as 'Outside-Feeling.' Even if you can't use it in a complex sentence, recognizing it when a character in a show feels sad because they have no friends is a big step. Focus on the 'Gai' (outside) and 'Kan' (feeling) parts first. In A1, we focus on basic emotions, and while 'sogaikan' is advanced, the concept of 'inside vs outside' is foundational to everything you will learn later in Japanese.

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At the A2 level, you are beginning to describe your feelings and social situations in more detail. You might encounter 'sogaikan' in reading passages about school or work. You should recognize that it's a noun. You can start to understand sentences like 'Sogaikan ga arimasu' (There is a sense of alienation). At this level, it's important to distinguish it from 'sabishii.' While 'sabishii' is an adjective ('I am lonely'), 'sogaikan' is a noun ('I have a feeling of alienation'). You might use it to describe why you felt uncomfortable at a party where you didn't know anyone. Learning this word helps you move beyond basic 'happy/sad' descriptions and into more nuanced social observations. You might also see it in simple manga where a character is being ignored by their classmates. Understanding the 'So' (疎) kanji, which means 'distant,' helps you see that this word is about the distance between people.

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At the B1 level, you should be able to use 'sogaikan' in your own speaking and writing. This is the level where you start discussing social issues and personal experiences in depth. You should be comfortable with the collocation 'sogaikan wo kanjiru' (to feel alienation). You can use it to explain complex situations, such as 'Because I am a foreigner, I sometimes feel sogaikan.' This word is very useful for B1 learners because it allows you to express a very specific type of social discomfort that is common when living in a different culture. You should also be aware of how to use it with 'ni' or 'wo,' and start recognizing it in news headlines or short essays. At B1, you are expected to understand that this word is more formal than 'sabishii' and carries a weight of social exclusion. It's a key word for discussing group dynamics, which is a frequent topic in B1-level Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) materials.

At the B2 level, you should have a nuanced understanding of 'sogaikan' and be able to use it in various grammatical structures. You should be able to use more advanced verbs like 'sogaikan wo daku' (to harbor alienation) or 'sogaikan wo fusshoku suru' (to wipe away alienation). You can use the word to discuss broader societal trends, such as the alienation of youth or the elderly in urban environments. At this level, you should also be able to compare 'sogaikan' with 'koritsukan' (isolation) and 'kodokukan' (loneliness) in a discussion. You will see this word in literature, editorials, and professional reports. You should be able to recognize the passive usage, like 'sogaikan ni sainamareru' (to be tormented by alienation). Your ability to use 'sogaikan' correctly in a business or academic setting will demonstrate a high level of cultural and linguistic competence, showing that you understand the subtle 'inside-outside' dynamics of Japanese society.

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At the C1 level, you are expected to understand 'sogaikan' in its full sociological and philosophical depth. You should be familiar with its use in Japanese translations of Western philosophy (like Marx's theory of alienation) and in Japanese sociological critiques of modernity. You can use the word in sophisticated arguments about social policy, psychology, or literary analysis. You should be able to detect the subtle nuances when a writer chooses 'sogaikan' over 'sokaku' or 'koritsu.' At this level, you can use the word to describe complex emotional states in creative writing or high-level professional negotiations. You should also be aware of the historical development of the word and how its usage has evolved with the rise of social media and digital communication. You can discuss how 'digital sogaikan' differs from traditional forms of social exclusion. Your command of the word should be native-like, using it effortlessly in both abstract and concrete contexts.

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At the C2 level, your mastery of 'sogaikan' is complete. You understand not only the word itself but its entire semantic field and its resonance within the Japanese psyche. You can engage in deep philosophical debates about the nature of the self and the group in Japan, using 'sogaikan' as a central concept. You are able to interpret the word's appearance in classical or modern literature with a high degree of sensitivity to tone and register. You can use it in highly formal speeches or academic papers, and you can also use it ironically or metaphorically in casual conversation. You understand the psychological implications of 'sogaikan' in psychiatric contexts and can discuss it with professionals. At this level, 'sogaikan' is not just a vocabulary word; it is a tool for profound cultural analysis. You can explain to others the intricate ways in which 'sogaikan' is woven into the Japanese experience of community and individuality, and how it serves as both a symptom and a cause of social change.

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

疎外感 en 30 secondes

Sogaikan means 'sense of alienation' or 'feeling left out' from a group.
It is a noun often used with the verbs 'kanjiru' (to feel) or 'daku' (to harbor).
It differs from 'kodokukan' (loneliness) by requiring a social context of exclusion.
It is a key concept for understanding Japanese group dynamics and social harmony.

The word 疎外感 (そがいかん - sogaikan) is a profound and emotionally resonant Japanese noun that translates most directly to a 'sense of alienation' or 'feeling of being left out.' While the English word 'isolation' often refers to the physical state of being alone, sogaikan specifically targets the psychological pain of being excluded from a group or society, even when one is physically present among others. It is composed of three kanji: 疎 (so) meaning distant or neglectful, 外 (gai) meaning outside, and 感 (kan) meaning feeling or emotion. Together, they paint a picture of feeling like an outsider who has been pushed away or neglected by the collective whole. This term is deeply embedded in the Japanese social fabric, where the concepts of uchi (inside) and soto (outside) dictate much of human interaction. When an individual feels that the boundary of the 'uchi' has been closed to them, they experience sogaikan.

Social Context: In Japanese society, which values harmony (wa) and group cohesion, the fear of sogaikan is a powerful motivator for social conformity. It is frequently discussed in contexts like school bullying (ijime), workplace dynamics, and the challenges faced by minorities or those who return to Japan after living abroad (kikokushijo).

新しい職場になじめず、強い疎外感を覚えた。
(I couldn't fit into the new workplace and felt a strong sense of alienation.)

Furthermore, the word is used in academic and philosophical discussions. In a sociological sense, it refers to the disconnection individuals feel from the products of their labor or from the community at large in a modern, industrialized society. This nuance is similar to the Marxist concept of alienation. However, in daily conversation, it is most commonly used to describe that sinking feeling in one's stomach when a group of friends laughs at an inside joke you don't understand, or when your colleagues go out for lunch without inviting you. It is not just loneliness (kodoku); it is the specific feeling that you have been deliberately or accidentally excluded from a circle you are supposed to belong to.

Psychological Nuance: Unlike 'sabishisa' (loneliness), which can be fleeting or even nostalgic, sogaikan is almost always negative and implies a lack of agency. It suggests that the 'outside-ness' is being imposed upon the individual by the group's structure or behavior.

都会の雑踏の中で、ふと疎外感に襲われることがある。
(In the middle of a crowded city, I am sometimes suddenly struck by a sense of alienation.)

In the modern era, sogaikan is also used to describe the digital divide or the feeling of being left behind by rapid technological changes. Older generations might feel sogaikan when everyone around them is using apps or terminology they don't understand. It is a versatile word that captures the essence of the human need for belonging and the pain that occurs when that need is unfulfilled. Understanding this word is key to understanding the Japanese emphasis on group dynamics and the subtle ways social exclusion manifests in a culture that prioritizes 'reading the air' (kuuki wo yomu).

Using 疎外感 (sogaikan) correctly requires understanding its grammatical placement as a noun that represents an internal state. It is most frequently used as the object of verbs related to perception and emotion. The most common patterns involve the particles を (wo) or に (ni). For instance, 'sogaikan wo kanjiru' (to feel alienation) is the standard way to express this emotion. However, you will also see 'sogaikan ni sainamareru' (to be tormented by alienation) or 'sogaikan wo daku' (to harbor/hold a sense of alienation). These variations allow speakers to express the intensity and duration of the feeling.

Common Verb Pairings: 1. を感じる (wo kanjiru): To feel.
2. を覚える (wo oboyeru): To experience/feel (more internal/literary).
3. を抱く (wo daku): To harbor/hold.
4. に苛まれる (ni sainamareru): To be tormented by.
5. を払拭する (wo fusshoku suru): To wipe away/get rid of.

彼はクラスの輪に入れず、常に疎外感を抱いていた。
(He couldn't join the class circle and always harbored a sense of alienation.)

Another important usage is in the form of 'sogaikan wo ataeru' (to give/cause a sense of alienation). This shifts the focus from the person feeling the emotion to the person or environment causing it. For example, a teacher might be careful not to 'ataeru sogaikan' to a new student. This shows that the word is not just about the victim's perspective but also about social responsibility and inclusive behavior. In professional settings, managers are often trained to recognize and mitigate factors that might lead to sogaikan among team members, as it is known to decrease productivity and morale.

専門用語ばかりの会話は、初心者に疎外感を与えてしまう。
(Conversations full of technical jargon end up giving beginners a sense of alienation.)

In more complex sentences, sogaikan can be the subject, particularly when describing how the feeling arises or disappears. 'Sogaikan ga tsunoru' (alienation grows/intensifies) or 'sogaikan ga kiyeru' (alienation disappears) are excellent examples of this. When writing about social issues, you might use 'sogaikan' to explain the root cause of certain behaviors, such as 'Sogaikan ga hikigane to natte...' (Alienation acting as a trigger...). This demonstrates the word's utility in both personal anecdotes and rigorous social analysis.

Sentence Patterns: [Situation] + で + 疎外感を感じる (Feel alienation in [situation]).
[Person] + に + 疎外感を与える (Give alienation to [person]).
疎外感 + に + 襲われる (To be attacked/overcome by alienation).

SNSの投稿を見て、自分だけが誘われていないことを知り、疎外感に襲われた。
(I saw the SNS posts and realized I was the only one not invited, and I was overcome by a sense of alienation.)

You will encounter 疎外感 (sogaikan) in a wide variety of contexts, ranging from casual conversations among friends to high-level academic discourse. In the realm of entertainment, particularly in anime and manga, sogaikan is a recurring theme. Characters who are 'misfits' or 'outsiders' often express their internal monologue using this word. For instance, a protagonist who has moved to a new city or school will often describe the 'sogaikan' they feel when looking at the close-knit groups around them. This makes the word essential for understanding the emotional depth of Japanese storytelling, which often focuses on the tension between the individual and the group.

Media and News: News reports on social isolation, especially regarding the elderly (kodokushi) or young recluses (hikikomori), frequently use sogaikan to explain the psychological state that leads to these phenomena. It is also used in discussions about the 'marginalization' of certain groups in society.

現代社会において、高齢者の疎外感は深刻な問題となっている。
(In modern society, the sense of alienation among the elderly has become a serious problem.)

In the corporate world, sogaikan is a keyword in human resources and management seminars. It is used to describe the feelings of employees who may feel disconnected from the company's mission or excluded from decision-making processes. When a company undergoes a merger or a significant restructuring, 'sogaikan' is often cited as a reason for decreased employee retention. You might hear a manager say, 'We need to ensure that the remote workers don't feel sogaikan.' This highlights the word's practical application in modern work environments where physical distance can easily translate into psychological distance.

テレワークの普及により、チーム内での疎外感を訴える社員が増えている。
(With the spread of telework, more employees are complaining about a sense of alienation within the team.)

Psychology and self-help books are another common place to find this word. It is often used to explain the 'empty' feeling one might get despite being successful or having many acquaintances. In these contexts, authors discuss how to overcome sogaikan through self-acceptance or by finding communities that share one's values. Even in lyrics for J-Pop or J-Rock, the word appears to capture the angst of youth or the loneliness of the city. Because it is a more formal and precise word than just saying 'lonely,' it adds a layer of intellectual and emotional weight to the lyrics or text in which it appears.

Daily Life: While not a word you'd use every five minutes, it's very common when discussing why someone quit a hobby group, why they feel uncomfortable at family gatherings, or why they prefer staying home over going to parties.

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is confusing 疎外感 (sogaikan) with 孤独感 (kodokukan). While both involve feeling 'alone,' they have different triggers and nuances. Kodokukan is a general sense of loneliness—the feeling of being by oneself. You can feel kodokukan in an empty room. Sogaikan, however, almost always implies a social group from which you are being excluded. You feel sogaikan in a room full of people who are ignoring you. Using kodokukan when you mean sogaikan can make your Japanese sound less precise and may fail to convey the social nature of your distress.

Mistake 1: Misusing Kodokukan: Saying 'I feel sogaikan because I live alone' is slightly odd. Living alone causes 'kodokukan.' Feeling left out of a conversation causes 'sogaikan.'

❌ 一人で住んでいるので疎外感があります。
✅ 一人で住んでいるので孤独感があります。
(Correcting the misuse of sogaikan for general loneliness.)

Another mistake is using sogaikan to describe physical distance. The word 疎遠 (soen) is used for being 'estranged' or 'out of touch' with someone over time. Sogaikan is the *feeling* resulting from that distance or exclusion, not the distance itself. You cannot say 'I am sogaikan with my parents'; you would say 'I am soen with my parents' or 'I feel sogaikan because of my relationship with my parents.' Understanding that sogaikan is strictly a noun for a 'feeling' (hence the 'kan' suffix) is vital for correct grammar.

❌ 彼は疎外感な人だ。
✅ 彼は疎外感を感じているようだ。
(Correcting the adjectival misuse.)

Lastly, learners sometimes confuse sogaikan with ijime (bullying). While bullying often causes a sense of alienation, sogaikan can occur without any malicious intent from others. It can be a result of cultural differences, language barriers, or even one's own self-consciousness. Assuming that someone who feels sogaikan is being bullied is a jump in logic that might lead to misunderstandings in sensitive conversations. It's better to treat sogaikan as a description of an internal emotional state rather than a definitive statement about the external actions of others.

Summary of Distinctions: Sogaikan (Alienation) vs. Kodokukan (Loneliness) vs. Soen (Estrangement). Sogaikan requires a group context, Kodokukan is about being alone, and Soen is about the lack of contact.

To truly master 疎外感 (sogaikan), it's helpful to compare it with its synonyms and related terms. Each word carries a slightly different shade of meaning, and choosing the right one will make your Japanese sound more natural and sophisticated. For example, 孤立感 (koritsukan) is very similar but emphasizes 'isolation' or being cut off from support. While sogaikan suggests being pushed out, koritsukan suggests being left alone in a difficult situation. In a disaster, you might feel koritsukan if help hasn't arrived, but you feel sogaikan if the survivors around you are ignoring your presence.

Comparison Table

Word	Focus	Example
疎外感	Social exclusion	Left out of a group
孤立感	Isolation/Lack of help	No one to turn to
孤独感	General loneliness	Feeling empty alone
劣等感	Inferiority complex	Feeling worse than others

彼は周囲との違いを意識しすぎて、疎外感だけでなく劣等感も抱いていた。
(He was too conscious of the differences between himself and those around him, harboring not only alienation but also an inferiority complex.)

Another interesting alternative is 場違い (bachigai), which means 'out of place.' While sogaikan is the deep emotional feeling of alienation, bachigai is the more immediate sense that you don't belong in a specific setting. If you wear a tracksuit to a formal wedding, you feel bachigai. This might lead to sogaikan if people treat you differently because of it, but bachigai itself is more about the situational mismatch. Similarly, 浮いている (uite iru), literally meaning 'floating,' is a common idiom for someone who doesn't fit in with the group's atmosphere.

一人だけスーツを着ていなかったので、ひどく場違いな感じがした。
(I was the only one not wearing a suit, so I felt terribly out of place.)

Lastly, consider 疎隔 (sokaku), which is a more formal, academic term for estrangement or alienation. It is rarely used in conversation but often appears in literature or sociology papers. If you are reading a translation of a philosophical text, you might see sokaku where an English text would use 'alienation.' However, for 99% of situations where you want to express the emotional weight of being left out, sogaikan is the word you need. It strikes the perfect balance between being emotionally descriptive and intellectually precise.

How Formal Is It?

Le savais-tu ?

The modern usage of 'sogaikan' was heavily influenced by the translation of German philosophical terms like 'Entfremdung' (alienation) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Guide de prononciation

UK so̞ɡa̠ika̠ɴ

US so̞ɡa̠ika̠ɴ

Japanese is pitch-accented. In 'sogaikan', the first syllable 'so' is low, and 'ga-i-ka-n' stays high.

Rime avec

kaikan (pleasant feeling) taikan (bodily sensation) saikan (ability) haikan (piping) naikan (introspection) zaikan (being in office) baikan (selling) gaikan (external appearance)

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing 'gai' as 'gay'. It should be 'guy'.
Over-emphasizing the 'n' at the end.
Stressing one syllable like English (e.g., SO-gai-kan). Keep the mora timing even.
Confusing the pitch accent with 'sogai' (alienation/neglect) which can have different patterns depending on dialect.
Failing to pronounce the 'i' in 'gai' clearly.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 4/5

The kanji 疎 is N1 level, though the word is B1 concept-wise.

Écriture 4/5

Writing 疎 from memory is difficult for intermediate learners.

Expression orale 3/5

Pronunciation is straightforward, but usage requires nuance.

Écoute 3/5

Clear pronunciation, but can be confused with other 'kan' words.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

外 (outside) 感じる (to feel) 孤独 (loneliness) 仲間 (comrade/group) 社会 (society)

Apprends ensuite

孤立 (isolation) 劣等感 (inferiority complex) 帰属意識 (sense of belonging) 連帯 (solidarity) 疎遠 (estrangement)

Avancé

実存主義 (existentialism) 社会構造 (social structure) 匿名性 (anonymity) 乖離 (divergence) 昇華 (sublimation)

Grammaire à connaître

Noun + を感じる (To feel [Noun])

喜びを感じる、疎外感を感じる。

Noun + に襲われる (To be attacked/overcome by [Noun])

不安に襲われる、疎外感に襲われる。

Noun + に苛まれる (To be tormented by [Noun])

後悔に苛まれる、疎外感に苛まれる。

Noun + を抱く (To harbor/hold [Noun])

疑問を抱く、疎外感を抱く。

Noun + を覚える (To experience/feel [Noun])

違和感を覚える、疎外感を覚える。

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Exemples par niveau

ともだちがいなくて、そがいかんがあります。

I have no friends, so I have a sense of alienation.

Uses basic 'ga arimasu' to indicate the presence of the feeling.

にほんごがわからなくて、そがいかんをかんじました。

I didn't understand Japanese, so I felt a sense of alienation.

Uses 'wo kanjiru' in the past tense.

そがいかんはかなしいです。

Alienation is sad.

Simple noun-wa-adjective sentence.

パーティーでそがいかんをかんじました。

I felt alienation at the party.

Indicates the location of the feeling with 'de'.

そがいかんをあたえないでください。

Please don't give (me/them) a sense of alienation.

Uses the negative imperative 'naide kudasai'.

みんなとはなせなくて、そがいかんがありました。

I couldn't talk with everyone, so there was a sense of alienation.

Connects a reason with 'nakute'.

そがいかんをわすれたいです。

I want to forget the sense of alienation.

Uses the 'tai' form for desire.

そがいかんをかんじるのはいやです。

I hate feeling alienation.

Uses 'no wa iya' to express dislike of an action.

新しい学校で、少し疎外感を感じています。

I am feeling a bit of alienation at the new school.

Uses 'te-iru' for a continuous state.

会話に入れなくて、疎外感を覚えました。

I couldn't join the conversation, so I felt a sense of alienation.

Uses 'oboyeru' as a synonym for 'kanjiru'.

彼はいつも疎外感を持っているようです。

It seems like he always has a sense of alienation.

Uses 'youdesu' to express an observation.

疎外感を感じた時は、音楽を聴きます。

When I feel alienation, I listen to music.

Uses 'toki' to indicate time/circumstance.

一人でいるより、疎外感を感じる方が辛いです。

Feeling alienation is more painful than being alone.

Uses 'yori... hou ga' for comparison.

彼はクラスメートから疎外感を与えられています。

He is being given a sense of alienation by his classmates.

Uses the passive voice 'ataerarete iru'.

疎外感をなくすために、友達を作りたいです。

In order to get rid of alienation, I want to make friends.

Uses 'tame ni' for purpose.

都会の生活は疎外感を感じやすいです。

It's easy to feel alienation in city life.

Uses the suffix 'yasui' (easy to).

帰国子女である彼女は、日本の学校で強い疎外感を抱いていた。

As a returnee, she harbored a strong sense of alienation in Japanese schools.

Uses 'daku' which is more formal than 'kanjiru'.

専門的な話ばかりされると、疎外感を感じてしまう。

When people only talk about technical things, I end up feeling alienated.

Uses 'te-shimau' to show an unintended result.

彼はチームのプロジェクトから外され、疎外感に苛まれている。

He was removed from the team project and is tormented by a sense of alienation.

Uses 'sainamareru' (to be tormented).

SNSで楽しそうな写真を見ると、疎外感を覚えることがある。

Seeing happy photos on SNS, I sometimes experience a sense of alienation.

Uses 'oboyeru' in a common modern context.

新入社員が疎外感を感じないように、歓迎会を開いた。

We held a welcome party so that the new employee wouldn't feel alienated.

Uses 'youni' to indicate a goal/prevention.

自分の意見が無視されると、誰でも疎外感を持つものだ。

Anyone would have a sense of alienation if their opinion was ignored.

Uses 'mono da' to state a general truth.

疎外感を解消するために、地域のコミュニティに参加した。

To resolve the sense of alienation, I joined a local community.

Uses 'kaishou suru' (to resolve/eliminate).

彼はどこに行っても疎外感がつきまとっているように感じた。

He felt as if a sense of alienation was following him wherever he went.

Uses 'tsukimatou' (to haunt/follow around).

現代の若者が抱く疎外感は、インターネットの普及と関係があるかもしれない。

The alienation felt by modern youth might be related to the spread of the internet.

Uses a relative clause 'wakamon ga daku sogaikan'.

彼は組織の中での疎外感を払拭するために、自ら進んで発言した。

In order to wipe away the sense of alienation within the organization, he spoke up proactively.

Uses 'fusshoku suru' (to wipe away/dispel).

マイノリティの人々が社会で感じる疎外感について、議論が行われた。

A discussion was held regarding the sense of alienation that minority groups feel in society.

Uses 'nitsuite' to indicate the topic.

親密な友人グループの中にいても、ふとした瞬間に疎外感に襲われる。

Even when in a group of close friends, I am suddenly struck by a sense of alienation at unexpected moments.

Uses 'ni osowareru' (to be attacked/overcome).

定年退職後の男性が、社会からの疎外感を訴えるケースが増えている。

There are increasing cases of men complaining of a sense of alienation from society after retirement.

Uses 'uttaeru' (to complain of/report).

その小説は、都会で暮らす孤独な青年の疎外感を繊細に描いている。

That novel delicately depicts the alienation of a lonely young man living in the city.

Uses 'egaku' (to depict/draw).

疎外感というのは、単に一人でいることとは本質的に異なる感情である。

Alienation is an emotion essentially different from simply being alone.

Uses 'toiu no wa' to define a concept.

彼女は周囲の期待に応えられない自分に、強い疎外感を覚えていた。

She felt a strong sense of alienation toward her self, which couldn't meet the expectations of those around her.

Uses 'oboyeru' for a deep, internal feeling.

マルクスの疎外論は、労働者が自らの労働から疎外感を感じるプロセスを分析している。

Marx's theory of alienation analyzes the process by which workers feel alienation from their own labor.

Refers to the philosophical term 'Sogairon'.

高度情報化社会において、情報の格差が新たな疎外感を生んでいる。

In the highly information-oriented society, the information gap is giving birth to a new sense of alienation.

Uses 'umu' (to give birth to/generate).

彼は、自身のアイデンティティと社会の要請との乖離から生じる疎外感に苦しんでいた。

He suffered from the alienation arising from the divergence between his own identity and the demands of society.

Uses 'kairi' (divergence/gap).

この作品のテーマは、実存的な疎外感からの脱却である。

The theme of this work is the escape from existential alienation.

Uses 'jitsuzonteki' (existential).

共同体の崩壊に伴い、個々人が抱く疎外感はかつてないほど深まっている。

With the collapse of communities, the alienation felt by individuals is deepening as never before.

Uses 'tomonai' (accompanying/along with).

疎外感を克服するためには、他者との真の対話が不可欠である。

True dialogue with others is indispensable for overcoming the sense of alienation.

Uses 'fukaketsu' (indispensable).

グローバル化が進む中で、伝統文化を守る人々が疎外感を深める傾向にある。

As globalization progresses, people who protect traditional culture tend to deepen their sense of alienation.

Uses 'keikou ni aru' (tend to).

彼の沈黙は、周囲に対する無言の抵抗であり、同時に深い疎外感の表れでもあった。

His silence was a silent resistance to his surroundings, and at the same time, an expression of deep alienation.

Uses 'araware' (manifestation/expression).

ポストモダニズムの文脈において、疎外感は主体の断片化と密接に関連している。

In the context of postmodernism, alienation is closely related to the fragmentation of the subject.

Uses academic terms like 'shutai' (subject) and 'danpenka' (fragmentation).

システムに組み込まれた個人の疎外感は、官僚制の弊害としてしばしば指摘される。

The alienation of individuals integrated into systems is often pointed out as an evil of bureaucracy.

Uses 'kanryousei' (bureaucracy) and 'heigai' (harm/evil).

都市の匿名性が提供する自由は、皮肉にも、より深刻な疎外感の裏返しでもある。

The freedom provided by urban anonymity is, ironically, the flip side of a more serious sense of alienation.

Uses 'uragaeshi' (the reverse/flip side).

言語という媒介そのものが、他者との完全な疎通を拒み、根源的な疎外感を生む。

The medium of language itself denies complete communication with others, giving birth to a fundamental sense of alienation.

Uses 'kongenteki' (fundamental/root).

彼は、自らの疎外感を芸術へと昇華させることで、生の意味を見出そうとした。

He tried to find the meaning of life by sublimating his sense of alienation into art.

Uses 'shouka' (sublimation).

デジタル・ネイティブ世代が抱く疎外感は、物理的な接触の欠如に起因する部分が大きい。

The alienation felt by the digital native generation is largely due to the lack of physical contact.

Uses 'kiin suru' (to be caused by).

社会構造の歪みが、特定の階層に疎外感を集中させている現状は看過できない。

The current situation where social structural distortions concentrate alienation in specific classes cannot be overlooked.

Uses 'kanko dekinai' (cannot be overlooked/ignored).

疎外感の払拭は、単なる社交性の向上ではなく、社会正義の実現という側面を持つ。

The dispelling of alienation is not just an improvement in sociability, but has the aspect of realizing social justice.

Uses 'shakousei' (sociability) and 'shakai seigi' (social justice).

Collocations courantes

疎外感を感じる

疎外感を覚える

疎外感を抱く

疎外感に襲われる

疎外感に苛まれる

疎外感を与える

疎外感を払拭する

疎外感を解消する

疎外感を味わう

疎外感が募る

Phrases Courantes

強い疎外感

— A strong sense of alienation.

彼は周囲から強い疎外感を感じていた。

社会的な疎外感

— Social alienation; feeling left out of society.

失業は社会的な疎外感につながる。

疎外感のない社会

— A society without alienation; an inclusive society.

疎外感のない社会を目指すべきだ。

疎外感を持つ

— To have a sense of alienation.

彼女は自分だけ疎外感を持っていると思っていた。

疎外感から逃れる

— To escape from a sense of alienation.

彼は疎外感から逃れるために旅に出た。

疎外感を生む

— To create or give birth to a sense of alienation.

格差は疎外感を生む原因となる。

疎外感を和らげる

— To soften or ease the sense of alienation.

ペットの存在が疎外感を和らげてくれた。

疎外感に耐える

— To endure the sense of alienation.

彼は黙って疎外感に耐えていた。

疎外感を共有する

— To share the sense of alienation (with others).

ネット上で疎外感を共有する若者たち。

疎外感の正体

— The true nature/source of the sense of alienation.

彼は自分の疎外感の正体を探った。

Souvent confondu avec

疎外感 vs 孤独感 (kodokukan)

Kodokukan is general loneliness; sogaikan is social exclusion.

疎外感 vs 孤立感 (koritsukan)

Koritsukan emphasizes being isolated/without help; sogaikan emphasizes being an outsider.

疎外感 vs 疎遠 (soen)

Soen is the state of being out of touch; sogaikan is the feeling of being left out.

Expressions idiomatiques

"蚊帳の外"

— To be left out of the loop; to be excluded from important matters.

会議で自分だけ蚊帳の外に置かれた。

Neutral/Common

"村八分"

— Social ostracism (historical term, very strong).

彼は村八分のような扱いを受けた。

Formal/Historical

"鼻つまみ者"

— A person who is shunned or disliked by everyone.

彼はクラスの鼻つまみ者だった。

Informal

"孤立無援"

— Isolated and without help.

彼は孤立無援の状態で戦った。

Formal

"浮き草のような"

— Like floating weeds; having no place to belong.

浮き草のような生活に疎外感を感じる。

Literary

"壁を作る"

— To build a wall (psychologically); to exclude others or feel excluded.

彼は周囲に対して壁を作っている。

Neutral

"一線を画す"

— To draw a line; to distance oneself (can cause sogaikan in others).

彼は他のメンバーとは一線を画している。

Formal

"爪弾きにされる"

— To be shunned or ostracized by a group.

わがままばかり言うと爪弾きにされるよ。

Neutral

"疎んじられる"

— To be treated coldly or kept at a distance.

彼は上司から疎んじられている。

Neutral

"居場所がない"

— To have no place where one feels they belong.

家にも職場にも居場所がない。

Neutral

Facile à confondre

疎外感 vs 劣等感 (rettoukan)

Both are negative 'kan' feelings in social settings.

Rettoukan is an inferiority complex (feeling worse than others). Sogaikan is alienation (feeling excluded by others). You can feel sogaikan even if you don't feel inferior.

彼は優秀だが、性格が合わず疎外感を感じていた。

疎外感 vs 違和感 (iwakan)

Both involve feeling 'out of place.'

Iwakan is a sense that something is 'off' or 'wrong' (could be a physical sensation or a logical inconsistency). Sogaikan is specifically about social exclusion.

この計画には違和感がある。

疎外感 vs 嫌悪感 (ken'okan)

Both are strong negative social feelings.

Ken'okan is a feeling of disgust or hatred toward something/someone. Sogaikan is a feeling of being excluded by them.

彼の態度に嫌悪感を感じる。

疎外感 vs 閉塞感 (heisokukan)

Both describe a negative social/societal atmosphere.

Heisokukan is a sense of being trapped or a lack of freedom/prospects in society. Sogaikan is about being excluded from the group.

不況で社会全体に閉塞感が漂っている。

疎外感 vs 焦燥感 (shousoukan)

Both are 'kan' words for mental distress.

Shousoukan is a sense of impatience or irritation (feeling rushed). Sogaikan is about social distance.

試験を前に焦燥感に駆られる。

Structures de phrases

[Place] で疎外感を感じます。

新しい学校で疎外感を感じます。

[Reason] ので、疎外感を覚えました。

会話に入れなかったので、疎外感を覚えました。

[Person] に疎外感を与えないようにする。

新入社員に疎外感を与えないようにする。

疎外感に苛まれる日々を送る。

彼は疎外感に苛まれる日々を送っていた。

疎外感を払拭するために [Action] する。

疎外感を払拭するために趣味を始めた。

疎外感は [Social Issue] の要因の一つである。

疎外感は引きこもりの要因の一つである。

[Abstract Concept] から生じる疎外感。

近代化から生じる疎外感。

疎外感を [Art/Action] へと昇華させる。

疎外感を詩へと昇華させる。

Famille de mots

Noms

疎外 (sogai) - alienation/exclusion

疎外論 (sogairon) - theory of alienation

疎外者 (sogaisha) - an alienated person

Verbes

疎外する (sogai suru) - to alienate/exclude someone

Adjectifs

疎外的な (sogaiteki na) - alienating

Apparenté

疎い (uboi) - poorly informed/distant

疎か (orosoka) - neglectful

疎遠 (soen) - estrangement

感情 (kanjou) - emotion

感覚 (kankaku) - sense/sensation

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Comment l'utiliser

frequency

Common in social, psychological, and literary contexts. Moderate in daily casual speech.

Erreurs courantes

Using 'sogaikan na' as an adjective. → 疎外感を感じている人 (Sogaikan wo kanjite iru hito)
Sogaikan is a noun, not a na-adjective. You cannot modify nouns directly with it using 'na'.
Confusing it with 'kodokukan'. → 一人暮らしで孤独感を感じる (Feel kodokukan from living alone).
Living alone is 'kodokukan' (loneliness). Being ignored at a party is 'sogaikan' (alienation).
Using 'sogaikan' to mean 'bad mood'. → 不機嫌 (fukigen)
Sogaikan is a specific feeling of being an outsider, not just a general bad mood.
Saying 'sogaikan ni naru'. → 疎外感を感じる (sogaikan wo kanjiru)
You don't 'become' the feeling; you 'feel' or 'experience' it.
Writing the kanji 疎 as 流. → 疎外感
The left side of 疎 (疋) is different from the left side of 流 (氵).

Astuces

Don't over-use it

While a powerful word, 'sogaikan' is quite heavy. For light feelings of being alone, 'sabishii' is usually enough. Save 'sogaikan' for when you really mean social exclusion.

Use with 'wo'

Remember it's a noun. You 'feel' it (wo kanjiru), 'harbor' it (wo daku), or 'receive' it (wo ataerareru).

Uchi-Soto

Think of 'sogaikan' as the feeling of being forced into the 'soto' (outside) when you want to be in the 'uchi' (inside).

Kanji practice

The kanji 疎 is tricky. Practice the left side (疋) and right side (束) separately to master it.

Emotional tone

When you hear 'sogaikan,' expect the speaker to be talking about something serious or sad. It's rarely used in a happy context.

Softening the blow

If you want to say you feel a bit left out without sounding too dramatic, add 'sukoshi' (a little): 'Sukoshi sogaikan wo kanjite...'

Learn the family

Learning 'sogai suru' (to alienate) alongside 'sogaikan' will help you understand both the action and the feeling.

Alienation vs Loneliness

Always ask: 'Am I alone, or am I being left out?' If it's the latter, use 'sogaikan.'

Context Clues

In texts, look for words like 'group,' 'conversation,' or 'colleagues' nearby. These confirm the social nature of the 'sogaikan' being described.

Mental Health

This word is often used in counseling or self-help contexts in Japan to describe the root of social anxiety.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Imagine you are standing OUTSIDE (外) a house, feeling DISTANT (疎) from the party inside. That FEELING (感) is sogaikan.

Association visuelle

A single red dot outside a circle of blue dots. The red dot is 'sogaikan'.

Word Web

Social exclusion Outsider Loneliness Uchi-Soto Group harmony Bullying Psychology Alienation

Défi

Try to use 'sogaikan' in a sentence about a time you felt like an outsider in a new country or hobby group.

Origine du mot

The word is a compound of 'sogai' (疎外) and 'kan' (感). 'Sogai' has roots in classical Chinese, where 'so' (疎) meant sparse or distant, and 'gai' (外) meant outside.

Sens originel : To treat someone as a distant outsider.

Sino-Japanese (Kango).

Contexte culturel

Be careful when using this word about others, as it implies they are being excluded, which can be a sensitive social observation.

In English, we might say 'I feel like a fifth wheel' or 'I feel left out,' but 'sogaikan' sounds more like a psychological diagnosis of one's social state.

Natsume Soseki's 'Kokoro' explores themes of deep alienation. The film 'Lost in Translation' captures the 'sogaikan' of being in a foreign culture. Marxist literature in Japan (Sogairon).

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

At School

クラスで疎外感を感じる
休み時間に疎外感を覚える
グループ分けで疎外感を持つ
いじめによる疎外感

At Work

会議で疎外感を感じる
プロジェクトから外されて疎外感を持つ
リモートワークでの疎外感
職場の疎外感をなくす

Living Abroad

異文化の中での疎外感
言葉の壁による疎外感
疎外感を乗り越える
現地のコミュニティでの疎外感

Social Media

SNSでの疎外感
自分だけ誘われていない疎外感
フォロワー数による疎外感
デジタルの疎外感

Family/Relations

親戚の集まりでの疎外感
家族の中での疎外感
疎外感を感じる関係
疎外感を打ち明ける

Amorces de conversation

"新しい環境で、疎外感を感じたことはありますか？ (Have you ever felt alienated in a new environment?)"

"どうすれば職場の疎外感を減らせると思いますか？ (How do you think we can reduce alienation in the workplace?)"

"SNSは疎外感を強めると思いますか、それとも弱めると思いますか？ (Do you think SNS strengthens or weakens the sense of alienation?)"

"疎外感を感じたとき、どうやって解消しますか？ (When you feel alienated, how do you resolve it?)"

"海外で暮らして、疎外感を味わった経験はありますか？ (Do you have experience feeling alienated while living abroad?)"

Sujets d'écriture

今日、疎外感を感じた瞬間がありましたか？それはなぜですか？ (Was there a moment you felt alienated today? Why?)

あなたが考える「疎外感のない場所」とはどんな場所ですか？ (What kind of place is an 'alienation-free place' in your opinion?)

過去に感じた強い疎外感を、今はどう振り返りますか？ (How do you look back now on a strong sense of alienation you felt in the past?)

疎外感を感じている友人がいたら、あなたはどう声をかけますか？ (If a friend was feeling alienated, what would you say to them?)

社会から疎外感を感じないために、私たちができることは何でしょうか？ (What can we do to avoid feeling alienated from society?)

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

Yes, in almost all contexts, 'sogaikan' is a negative, painful emotion. Unlike 'loneliness' which some people might enjoy (solitude), 'sogaikan' implies an involuntary exclusion from a group you want or need to be part of.

It's rare. 'Sogaikan' usually implies a group or a social circle. If you feel distant from just one person, words like 'kyori wo kanjiru' (feel distance) or 'soen' (estranged) are better.

'Kanjiru' is the standard, everyday verb for 'to feel.' 'Oboyeru' is slightly more literary and suggests a deep, internal experience of the emotion. Both are correct, but 'kanjiru' is more common in speech.

Yes, it frequently appears in N2 and N1 reading and listening sections, as it is a common topic in essays about society and psychology.

No, it is strictly a psychological/social feeling. For physical sensations, you use words like 'itami' (pain) or 'iwakan' (physical discomfort).

You can say 'sogaikan wo kokufuku suru' (to overcome) or 'sogaikan wo norikoeru' (to get over/surmount).

There isn't a direct slang equivalent for the noun, but the phrase 'uite iru' (floating/not fitting in) or 'haburareru' (to be left out/shunned) are used in casual contexts.

No, it is a human emotion. However, you could metaphorically say a building looks 'sogai sarete iru' (alienated/isolated) from its surroundings, but 'sogaikan' itself is the feeling felt by a person.

It is 疎, which also appears in 'soen' (estrangement) and 'orosoka' (neglect). It carries the meaning of being sparse, thin, or distant.

You might use it to describe team dynamics: 'Team members working from home might feel sogaikan, so let's have a video call.' (Telework no hito ga sogaikan wo kanjinai youni...)

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