A1 Idiom तटस्थ

肩を落とす

kata o otosu

Drop one's shoulders

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This idiom describes the physical act of letting your shoulders slump when you feel sad or disappointed.

  • Means: To feel dejected or lose heart after a setback.
  • Used in: Describing personal failure, bad news, or social rejection.
  • Don't confuse: It is not about physical weight, but emotional burden.
Slumped shoulders + sad face = {肩|かた}を{落|お}とす

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means to look sad because something bad happened. When you are sad, your shoulders go down. We say 'shoulders drop' to show this.
Use this idiom when you want to describe someone who is disappointed. It is a visual way to say someone has lost their energy or spirit after a failure. It is very common in stories and daily talk.
This is a figurative expression for dejection. It links the physical state of slumping shoulders to the emotional state of being let down. It is useful for adding descriptive color to your Japanese when talking about negative outcomes or personal setbacks.
The idiom functions as a somatic metaphor for emotional distress. By focusing on the physical manifestation of defeat, it allows speakers to convey empathy or observation without explicitly stating the emotion. It is frequently employed in narrative contexts to illustrate character development following a conflict.
This phrase exemplifies the Japanese tendency to utilize bodily metaphors to externalize internal psychological states. By mapping the concept of 'disappointment' onto the 'dropping of shoulders,' the language provides a concrete, observable anchor for abstract feelings. It is a quintessential example of how Japanese culture prioritizes non-verbal, somatic cues in social interaction.
From a cognitive linguistic perspective, this idiom represents a conceptual metaphor where 'downward orientation' is associated with 'negative affect.' The phrase '肩を落とす' functions as a conventionalized metonymy, where the physical symptom (slumping) stands in for the entire emotional experience of dejection. Mastery of this phrase requires understanding both the literal physiological response to stress and the cultural expectation of observing such cues to maintain social harmony (wa).

मतलब

To be disappointed or dejected.

🌍

सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि

Body language is often used to avoid direct confrontation or to show empathy. Similar body language is recognized, but verbal expression of disappointment is often more direct.

💡

Visual cues

Use this phrase when you see someone looking sad to show you are observant.

मतलब

To be disappointed or dejected.

💡

Visual cues

Use this phrase when you see someone looking sad to show you are observant.

खुद को परखो

Which verb is used with '肩' to mean 'to be disappointed'?

彼は試合に負けて、肩を＿＿＿＿。

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 落とした

The idiom is '肩を落とす'.

🎉 स्कोर: /1

विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल

1 सवाल

No, only for emotional disappointment.

संबंधित मुहावरे

🔄

がっくりする

synonym

To be disappointed

🔗

落ち込む

similar

To feel down

कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें

📝

Exam Failure

Friend: テストどうだった？

You: ダメだったよ。肩を落としちゃった。

informal
⚽

Sports Loss

Coach: 負けたけど、肩を落とすな！次があるぞ。

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a heavy backpack of 'sadness' that makes your shoulders drop.

Visual Association

Imagine a cartoon character whose shoulders literally slide down to their waist when they hear bad news.

Story

Ken studied for weeks for the exam. He walked into the room, saw his score, and his shoulders dropped. He walked home slowly, still with his shoulders dropped, feeling the weight of the failure.

Word Web

悲しいがっかり残念失敗落ち込む元気がない

चैलेंज

For one day, notice when you feel disappointed and consciously check if your shoulders are slumping.

In Other Languages

Spanish partial

Estar cabizbajo

Head vs. Shoulders.

French high

Avoir les épaules basses

Very similar usage.

German partial

Den Kopf hängen lassen

Head vs. Shoulders.

Japanese self

肩を落とす

None.

Arabic partial

أحنى رأسه

Head vs. Shoulders.

Easily Confused

肩を落とす बनाम 肩を並べる

Both use '肩', but one is for disappointment and one is for equality.

落とす (drop) = sad; 並べる (line up) = equal.

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (1)

No, only for emotional disappointment.

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