When you encounter the kanji 溜 (tame) in 溜息 (tameiki), it's useful to know it often relates to accumulation or retention, like water in a dam (溜池 - tameike).
The kanji 息 (iki) is quite versatile; it means breath, as in 呼吸 (kokyū - breathing) or 息子 (musuko - son, literally "breath of life").
So, 溜息 literally means a 'held breath' or 'accumulated breath' that is then released, which paints a vivid picture of a sigh.
Understanding these individual kanji helps in grasping the nuance and memorizing 溜息 more effectively.
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
The Japanese word 溜息 (tameiki) means 'sigh'. Just like in English, a sigh in Japanese can convey a range of emotions. It's often associated with feelings of disappointment, relief, exhaustion, or even deep thought. You'll hear it used frequently in daily conversation, in books, and in TV shows.
Understanding when to use 溜息 is important because while the action of sighing is universal, the cultural context can sometimes add subtle nuances. For example, a big, audible sigh in a formal setting might be considered less polite in Japan than in some Western cultures. However, among close friends or family, it's perfectly natural and understood.
- Meaning
- Sigh. It can be a noun, referring to the act of sighing, or it can be part of a verb phrase like 溜息をつく (tameiki o tsuku), meaning 'to let out a sigh' or 'to sigh'.
Let's look at some common scenarios where 溜息 is used:
- Disappointment or frustration: If something doesn't go as planned, or you're feeling a bit down, you might hear or let out a 溜息.
- Relief: After a difficult situation is over, or a task is finally completed, a sigh of relief is common. This is a very common use.
- Exhaustion: Long day at work or studying? A weary sigh expresses tiredness.
- Deep thought or contemplation: Sometimes, a sigh isn't about a strong emotion, but rather indicates that someone is thinking deeply about something.
- Sympathy: When hearing someone else's troubles, one might sigh in sympathy.
The verb phrase 溜息をつく (tameiki o tsuku) is the most natural way to say 'to sigh' in Japanese. The particle 'を' (o) marks 溜息 as the direct object of the verb つく (tsuku), which means 'to emit' or 'to breathe out' in this context.
彼は大きな溜息をついた。
- Hint
- He let out a big sigh. (Literally: He a big sigh made.)
Here's another example:
試験が終わって、皆溜息をついた。
- Hint
- After the exam finished, everyone sighed (in relief).
You might also see 溜息 used as a standalone noun, especially when describing a sound or an action in writing.
彼女の口から小さな溜息が漏れた。
- Hint
- A small sigh escaped from her mouth.
In summary, 溜息 is a straightforward word for 'sigh'. Its usage largely mirrors English, but pay attention to the context and situation, especially in formal settings, to ensure your meaning is conveyed appropriately. Practice using 溜息をつく in your sentences to make it feel natural.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Test Yourself 42 questions
Choose the correct hiragana for 溜息:
溜息 is written as ためいき in hiragana.
Which of these is a common action associated with 溜息?
The verb つく (to heave/let out) is often used with 溜息 (sigh) to form 溜息をつく (to heave a sigh).
What emotion might someone express with a 溜息?
A sigh (溜息) can often express feelings like sadness, disappointment, or relief.
You can say 溜息 to express joy.
溜息 usually expresses negative emotions like sadness, disappointment, or sometimes relief, but not joy.
The kanji for 溜息 means 'water' and 'breath'.
The kanji 溜 (たまり) means 'to collect' or 'to accumulate', and 息 (いき) means 'breath'. So, 'collected breath' or 'held breath' which is used to make a sigh.
もしもし (Moshimoshi) is another way to say 溜息 (Tameiki).
もしもし is used to answer the phone, while 溜息 means 'sigh'. They are completely different.
試験の結果を見て、彼は大きな___をついた。(Looking at the exam results, he let out a big ___.)
The context of 'exam results' and 'let out a big' suggests a sigh.
長い一日の終わりに、彼女は疲れて___をついた。(At the end of a long day, she was tired and let out a ___.)
Being tired at the end of a long day typically leads to a sigh.
「ああ、また失敗した」と、彼は___をついた。(“Ah, I failed again,” he let out a ___.)
Failing often leads to a sigh of disappointment or resignation.
心配なことがあると、人はよく___をつきます。(When people have worries, they often let out a ___.)
Worry is a common cause for sighing.
彼女は彼の話を聞いて、深い___をついた。(Listening to his story, she let out a deep ___.)
A deep sigh suggests a feeling of relief, sadness, or understanding after hearing a story.
問題が解決して、みんなが___をついた。(The problem was solved, and everyone let out a ___.)
Solving a problem often leads to a sigh of relief.
Write a short sentence describing a situation where someone might sigh in relief. Use the word 「ため息」 (tameiki).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
試験が終わって、彼は安堵のため息をついた。 (Shiken ga owatte, kare wa ando no tameiki o tsuita.) - After the exam finished, he let out a sigh of relief.
Imagine you are tired after a long day. Write a sentence using 「ため息」 (tameiki) to express your tiredness.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
長い一日が終わって、私はため息をついた。 (Nagai ichinichi ga owatte, watashi wa tameiki o tsuita.) - After a long day, I sighed.
Write a sentence about someone sighing because they are disappointed. Use 「ため息」 (tameiki).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼は失敗して、がっかりのため息をついた。 (Kare wa shippai shite, gakkari no tameiki o tsuita.) - He failed and let out a sigh of disappointment.
なぜBさんはため息をつきましたか？ (Why did B sigh?)
Read this passage:
A: 今日は本当に暑いですね。 B: ええ、私もそう思います。こんなに暑いと、ついため息が出てしまいます。
なぜBさんはため息をつきましたか？ (Why did B sigh?)
Bさんが「こんなに暑いと、ついため息が出てしまいます」と言っているので、暑さのため息だとわかります。(B said, "It's so hot, I can't help but sigh," so we know it's a sigh due to the heat.)
Bさんが「こんなに暑いと、ついため息が出てしまいます」と言っているので、暑さのため息だとわかります。(B said, "It's so hot, I can't help but sigh," so we know it's a sigh due to the heat.)
この文から、彼の試験の結果はどうだったと推測できますか？ (From this sentence, what can you infer about his exam results?)
Read this passage:
彼は試験の結果を見て、深いため息をついた。どうやら結果は良くなかったようだ。
この文から、彼の試験の結果はどうだったと推測できますか？ (From this sentence, what can you infer about his exam results?)
「深いため息をついた。どうやら結果は良くなかったようだ」とあるので、結果が悪かったことがわかります。(It says, "He let out a deep sigh. It seems the results were not good," so we know the results were bad.)
「深いため息をついた。どうやら結果は良くなかったようだ」とあるので、結果が悪かったことがわかります。(It says, "He let out a deep sigh. It seems the results were not good," so we know the results were bad.)
彼女はどんな気持ちでため息をついたと考えられますか？ (What kind of feeling do you think she sighed with?)
Read this passage:
仕事が終わった後、彼女は大きくため息をついた。そして、「やっと終わった！」と言いました。
彼女はどんな気持ちでため息をついたと考えられますか？ (What kind of feeling do you think she sighed with?)
「やっと終わった！」と言っていることから、仕事が終わって安堵のため息をついたことがわかります。(Since she said, "It's finally over!", we can tell she sighed with relief that work was finished.)
「やっと終わった！」と言っていることから、仕事が終わって安堵のため息をついたことがわかります。(Since she said, "It's finally over!", we can tell she sighed with relief that work was finished.)
She let out a big sigh.
Seeing the exam results, he sighed.
You're sighing again, what's wrong?
Read this aloud:
溜息が出るほど疲れている。
Focus: 溜息 (ためいき)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼は溜息交じりに答えた。
Focus: 溜息交じり (ためいきまじり)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
安堵の溜息をついた。
Focus: 安堵 (あんど), 溜息 (ためいき)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Choose the most natural way to say 'He let out a sigh of relief.' in Japanese.
The most common and natural verb to use with 溜息 (tameiki) when expressing 'to let out a sigh' or 'to sigh' is つく (tsuku).
Which of the following sentences correctly uses 溜息 to express disappointment?
Again, つく (tsuku) is the most appropriate verb to pair with 溜息 (tameiki) to convey the act of sighing due to disappointment or any other emotion.
Select the sentence where 溜息 is used in a figurative sense, indicating deep sadness.
This sentence uses 溜息 (tameiki) metaphorically to describe the nature of his words, suggesting they carried a sense of deep sadness, much like a sigh. The other options describe literal sighs.
The phrase '溜息が出る' (tameiki ga deru) means 'a sigh comes out' and implies an involuntary sigh.
This is correct. '溜息が出る' often describes an involuntary sigh, where the sigh 'comes out' of you naturally due to emotion or exhaustion, rather than being an intentional act.
'溜息を飲む' (tameiki o nomu) is a common expression meaning to suppress a sigh.
This is a correct and common idiom. '溜息を飲む' literally means 'to swallow a sigh,' implying that one is holding back a sigh, often to hide emotions or maintain composure.
You can use '溜息を上げる' (tameiki o ageru) to mean 'to let out a sigh of relief'.
While '溜息をつく' is very common, '溜息を上げる' is also a natural and acceptable way to say 'to let out a sigh,' especially when conveying a sigh of relief or exasperation.
Why did he sigh so deeply?
I heard her sigh and knew she was disappointed.
At the end of the day, he let out a tired sigh.
Read this aloud:
試験の結果を聞いて、安堵のため息をつきました。
Focus: あんどのためいき (ando no tameiki)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼女は彼の言葉に深くため息をついた。
Focus: ふかくためいき (fukaku tameiki)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
ため息をついても問題は解決しない。
Focus: ためいきをついても (tameiki o tsuite mo)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
She let out a deep sigh.
People often sigh when they have worries.
His words made me involuntarily let out a sigh.
Read this aloud:
試験の結果を聞いて、彼は大きなため息をついた。
Focus: た・め・い・き
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼女の溜息は、彼の心を締め付けた。
Focus: し・め・つ・け・た
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
私たちは彼の溜息に同情した。
Focus: どう・じょう
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More emotions words
ぼんやり
B1Vaguely; absentmindedly; dimly.
夢中
B1Absorption; engrossment; infatuation.
受け止める
B1To accept; to take; to grasp.
達成感
B1Sense of accomplishment.
ひしひしと
B1Acutely; keenly; strongly (feeling something).
適応する
B1To adapt; to adjust.
健気な
B2Brave, admirable, or plucky (especially of a weaker person).
感心な
B1Admirable; deserving admiration.
感心
B1Admiration, impression, or being impressed.
感心する
B1To be impressed; to admire.
