げんなり

§ Understanding げんなり (gennari)

Japanese Word

げんなり (gennari)

Part of Speech

Adverb

CEFR Level

B1

Definition

Feeling discouraged; exhausted; weary.

The Japanese adverb げんなり (gennari) describes a feeling of being disheartened, weary, or utterly fed up with something. It's often used when you've reached a point of mental or physical exhaustion due to a repetitive, tedious, or disappointing situation. Think of it as that sigh you let out when you're just done. It's a very common and practical word to express a common human feeling, so it's useful to add to your vocabulary.

When people use げんなり, they're usually expressing a sense of disillusionment or a loss of energy and enthusiasm. It's not necessarily a strong feeling of anger or sadness, but rather a profound weariness that can come from a variety of situations. For example, if you've been working on a difficult task for a long time and aren't making progress, you might feel げんなり. If you've heard the same old excuse many times, you could also feel げんなり.

§ Usage Examples

Let's look at some examples to see how げんなり is used in everyday Japanese conversations. Pay attention to the situations where this word naturally fits.

• Repetitive Tasks: When you're stuck doing something boring or endless.

  同じ作業の繰り返しで、げんなりしてきた。(Onaji sagyou no kurikaeshi de, gennari shite kita.)

  Hint: I've started feeling worn out from repeating the same task.

• Disappointing Outcomes: When something doesn't go as expected, leading to a feeling of resignation.

  彼女の言い訳を聞いて、げんなりした。(Kanojo no iiwake o kiite, gennari shita.)

  Hint: Hearing her excuses, I felt disheartened/weary.

• Physical Exhaustion: Although it's often mental, it can also refer to physical tiredness that makes you feel run down.

  長時間の会議で、みんなげんなりしていた。(Choujikan no kaigi de, minna gennari shite ita.)

  Hint: Everyone was worn out/exhausted from the long meeting.

• Loss of Motivation: When you lose your drive because of a situation.

  彼の話はいつも同じで、聞いているとげんなりする。(Kare no hanashi wa itsumo onaji de, kiite iru to gennari suru.)

  Hint: His stories are always the same, and listening to them makes me weary.

As you can see, げんなり is quite versatile. It describes a state of mind where you're just over it, whatever 'it' may be. It's less about being actively upset and more about a dull, heavy sense of exhaustion or disappointment that saps your energy. Use it when you want to express that 'ugh' feeling without being too dramatic. It's a practical word for expressing a very common sentiment in Japanese.

§ Understanding げんなり (gennari)

The Japanese word げんなり (gennari) is an adverb. It describes a feeling of being discouraged, exhausted, or weary. It's often used when you're tired of something, or when a situation has made you feel drained, either physically or mentally. Think of it as that feeling when your energy has been completely sapped, and you're just over it.

Japanese Word

げんなり (gennari)

Meaning

Feeling discouraged; exhausted; weary.

CEFR Level

B1

§ How to use げんなり in a sentence

As an adverb, げんなり usually modifies verbs or adjectives. It describes *how* someone feels or *how* a situation makes someone feel. You'll often see it paired with verbs like する (suru - to do), 感じる (kanjiru - to feel), or なる (naru - to become).

§ Using げんなり + する

The most common way to use げんなり is with する (suru) to form げんなりする (gennari suru), meaning 'to feel discouraged/exhausted'. This form works like a verb and can be conjugated accordingly.

Hint

I got fed up with her long story.

Hint

I'm discouraged by repeating the same mistakes.

§ Using げんなり + と + verb

You can also use the particle と (to) after げんなり when it describes the manner of an action or feeling. While often optional, including と can sometimes emphasize the adverbial nature.

Hint

I come home exhausted from overtime every day.

Hint

She wearily sighed at his irresponsible attitude.

§ Describing things that make you げんなり

You can also use げんなり to describe a situation or thing that *causes* this feeling. In these cases, it often precedes a noun or verb describing the effect.

• With の (no) to modify a noun (e.g., げんなりの雰囲気 - a discouraging atmosphere).

• As a feeling that comes over you due to something (e.g., に げんなりする - to be discouraged by [something]).

Hint

I'm already fed up with his excuses.

In this example, だ (da) acts as a copula, indicating that 'being fed up' is the state. It's a more direct statement of the feeling.

Hint

This humid heat really makes me weary, doesn't it?

§ Context and Nuance

げんなり carries a strong sense of unpleasantness due to exhaustion or disillusionment. It's not just 'tired,' but 'tired and disappointed' or 'tired and fed up.' It's important to use it in contexts where this specific nuance is appropriate.

• When something is overwhelmingly dull or tedious: 長い会議にげんなりした (Nagaikaigi ni gennari shita - I was fed up with the long meeting).

• When faced with a difficult or repetitive task: 毎日同じ作業でげんなりする (Mainichi onaji sagyō de gennari suru - I get weary from the same work every day).

• When a person's behavior is disheartening: 彼の無神経な態度にげんなりした (Kare no mushinkei na taido ni gennari shita - His thoughtless attitude disheartened me).

Mastering げんなり will help you express a more nuanced range of emotions in Japanese, particularly when describing feelings of weariness, discouragement, or being completely fed up with a situation or person.

§ Understanding げんなり (gennari)

You've learned that げんなり (gennari) means 'feeling discouraged, exhausted, or weary'. It's an adverb that describes a state of mental and physical fatigue, often brought on by something monotonous, disappointing, or overwhelming.

DEFINITION

Feeling discouraged; exhausted; weary.

§ Similar words and key differences

Japanese has many words for states of tiredness or discouragement. Let's look at some common ones and how they compare to げんなり (gennari).

• 疲れる (tsukareru) - To be tired/fatigued

  This is the most general word for 'to be tired'. It can be physical or mental. げんなり (gennari) often implies a deeper, more profound weariness that includes a sense of discouragement or being fed up, whereas 疲れる (tsukareru) can be simple physical tiredness after exercise.

  たくさん歩いて疲れた。

  I'm tired from walking a lot.

• うんざり (unzari) - Fed up; disgusted; bored

  うんざり (unzari) is very close to げんなり (gennari) in meaning, often describing the feeling of being completely fed up or disgusted by something repetitive or annoying. The main difference is the nuance: うんざり (unzari) often emphasizes boredom or annoyance, while げんなり (gennari) leans more towards a profound sense of exhaustion and discouragement that can come from a difficult situation or disappointment, not just boredom.

  毎日同じ作業でうんざりする。

  I'm fed up with the same work every day.

• がっかり (gakkari) - Disappointed; dejected

  がっかり (gakkari) focuses specifically on disappointment or dejection. While げんなり (gennari) can include a sense of discouragement, がっかり (gakkari) is more about the feeling of hopes or expectations being let down. You might feel がっかり (gakkari) and then, as a result, feel げんなり (gennari) from the lingering negative emotions.

  試験に落ちてがっかりした。

  I was disappointed that I failed the exam.

• だるい (darui) - Sluggish; lethargic; heavy-limbed

  だるい (darui) describes a physical state of sluggishness, often accompanied by a lack of motivation. It's more about physical heaviness or malaise. While げんなり (gennari) can involve physical exhaustion, its core meaning includes the mental and emotional component of discouragement, which だるい (darui) doesn't necessarily convey.

  体がだるいので、今日は何もしたくない。

  My body feels sluggish, so I don't want to do anything today.

§ When to use げんなり (gennari)

Use げんなり (gennari) when you want to express a deep sense of mental and/or physical exhaustion that comes with discouragement, disappointment, or feeling overwhelmed by a tedious, difficult, or disheartening situation. It's more than just being 'tired' or 'bored'; it's a profound weariness that saps your motivation and spirit.