Entry
げんなり
gennari
A state of losing energy, motivation, or patience due to exhaustion or tediousness.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
Describes the psychological state of being thoroughly drained, fed up, or disheartened. It is often used when facing relentless summer heat, endless complaints, or repetitive tasks that sap one's willpower.
- Losing energy due to intense heat or fatigue.
- Feeling fed up and losing motivation because of something tedious or annoying.
Sense Map
Physical/Mental Drain
Losing energy from heat or physical drain that saps your stamina.
暑さでげんなりする
Being Fed Up
Being mentally fed up or sick of something tedious like a long speech or complaints.
長い話にげんなりする
Usage Note
How to Use
げんなりする
Used as a verb to express the act of becoming weary or fed up.
〜にげんなりする
Indicates the cause of the weariness, marked by the particle に.
げんなりした + noun
Modifies a noun, often describing an exhausted or fed-up expression.
How to Use
Common Phrases
げんなりする
to be fed up / to be exhausted
暑さにげんなりする
to be drained by the heat
げんなりした顔
an exhausted or fed-up expression
話を聞いてげんなりする
to feel drained after hearing someone talk
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hot weather | neutral | Describes the draining of energy and lethargy during intense summer heat. |
| Tedious situations | negative | Shows a loss of patience or motivation due to repetitive complaints, tasks, or speeches. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
うんざり うんざり / nearby | When you are thoroughly sick and tired of something repetitive or unpleasant. | うんざり focuses strongly on the feeling of being "sick of it," while げんなり emphasizes the loss of energy and motivation resulting from it. | 言い訳にうんざりする |
げっそり げっそり / similar | When someone looks suddenly emaciated or is visibly crestfallen from a shock. | げっそり often includes a physical implication of looking haggard or sudden deep disappointment, unlike げんなり which is a general draining of energy. | げっそり痩せる |
くたくた くたくた / contrast | When you are physically exhausted to the point of not being able to move. | くたくた is purely physical fatigue, whereas げんなり involves mental weariness or loss of willpower. | 疲れてくたくただ |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using it to mean merely 'sleepy'.
げんなり implies a loss of mental energy, motivation, or being fed up, not a physical need for sleep.
Using it to express explosive anger.
It describes a passive, drained weariness (like sighing in exhaustion), rather than active or aggressive anger.
Examples
Examples
今年の夏の厳しい暑さには、すっかりげんなりしている。
ことしの なつの きびしい あつさには、 すっかり げんなり している。
I am completely drained of energy by the severe heat of this summer.
LiteralDescribes physical and mental exhaustion caused by weather.
上司の長い説教に、彼はげんなりした顔を見せた。
じょうしの ながい せっきょうに、 かれは げんなりした かおを みせた。
He showed a fed-up expression at his boss's long lecture.
VisualShows the weariness visibly appearing on the face.
毎日同じ作業の繰り返しで、さすがにげんなりしてきた。
まいにち おなじ さぎょうの くりかえしで、 さすがに げんなり してきた。
Repeating the same task every day, I've understandably started to feel fed up.
FigurativeDescribes the boredom and loss of motivation from a monotonous routine.
彼女の終わらない愚痴を聞かされて、私はげんなりした。
かのじょの おわらない ぐちを きかされて、 わたしは げんなりした。
I felt completely drained from being made to listen to her endless complaints.
FigurativeShows how someone else's negative talk can drain your energy.
山積みの書類を見ただけで、ゲンナリする。
やまづみの しょるいを みただけで、 ゲンナリ する。
Just seeing the mountain of documents is enough to drain my motivation.
FigurativeDemonstrates the loss of willpower before even starting a task.
Similar Words
うんざり
unzari
A feeling of being completely fed up or tired of something repetitive or unpleasant. Focuses on being sick of something repetitive, while gennari emphasizes the loss of energy.
げっそり
gessori
Describes looking very thin or emaciated (especially in the face), or feeling completely drained and discouraged after a shock. Refers to a sudden severe disappointment or physical loss of weight, compared to gennari's mental drain.
くたくた
kutakuta
Describes being completely exhausted, clothing that has become soft and worn out from use, or food boiled until it is mushy. Purely physical exhaustion, contrasting with gennari's loss of mental motivation.
がっかり
gakkari
To feel disappointed or lose spirit when things don't turn out as expected.
Questions
Can I use gennari when I am tired after a good workout?
No, gennari implies mental weariness or being fed up. For satisfying physical fatigue after sports, use terms like "kutakuta" or "tsukareta".
What is the difference between gennari and unzari?
Both mean being fed up, but gennari focuses more on the physical or mental draining of your energy and motivation.
Is it polite to use gennari about someone's speech to their face?
No, telling someone their talk made you "gennari" implies you found it painfully tedious, which is extremely impolite.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2069700
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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