失落

shīluò: 失落 - Lost, Dejected, Disappointed

Quick Summary

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  • Summary: Discover the deep meaning of the Chinese word 失落 (shīluò), a term that goes beyond simple “disappointment” to describe a profound feeling of loss, dejection, and emptiness. This page breaks down its characters, cultural context, and practical usage with 10 example sentences, helping you understand the nuance between 失落 (shīluò) and similar words like 失望 (shīwàng).

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): shīluò
  • Part of Speech: Adjective, Verb
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: To feel a sense of loss, dejection, or listlessness; to have lost something (usually abstract).
  • In a Nutshell: 失落 (shīluò) is the quiet, heavy feeling you get when something you hoped for doesn't happen, or when a meaningful chapter of your life closes. It's a mix of sadness, disappointment, and a hollow sense of “what now?”. It's less of an angry disappointment and more of a personal, sinking feeling of emptiness.

Character Breakdown

  • 失 (shī): To lose, to miss, to fail. Think of this as losing a physical object or missing an opportunity.
  • 落 (luò): To fall, to drop, to go down. This character paints a picture of something descending, like falling leaves or a setting sun.
  • When combined, 失落 (shīluò) creates a powerful image: the feeling of your spirit or mood “losing” its height and “falling” down. It perfectly captures the emotional drop associated with loss and disappointment.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • 失落 (shīluò) describes a deeply personal and internal emotional state. It's often connected to the gap between one's aspirations (for a career, relationship, or personal goal) and the reality of the outcome. In Chinese culture, where societal and family expectations can be high, the feeling of 失落 can be a common experience when these expectations aren't met.
  • Comparison to Western Concepts: While it's often translated as “disappointed,” 失落 is different from the English concept. “Disappointment” can be directed outwardly (e.g., “I am disappointed in you.”). 失落, however, is almost exclusively an inward feeling. It’s the emotional aftermath. For example, you might feel 失望 (shīwàng) when your favorite team loses the game. But you feel 失落 (shīluò) the next day, when the excitement is gone and you're left with a hollow feeling. It's the quiet emptiness after the “main event” of the disappointment is over.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • 失落 (shīluò) is a common word used in everyday conversation, as well as in literature, music, and film. It's used to describe the feeling of a personal setback.
    • In Conversation: Someone might say “我心里有点儿失落 (wǒ xīnli yǒudiǎnr shīluò)” - “I feel a bit lost/dejected” after a job interview that went poorly or after a friend moves away.
    • On Social Media: It's often used to express a melancholy mood, perhaps with a thoughtful or artistic photo.
    • Connotation and Formality: The connotation is entirely negative, describing an unpleasant emotional state. It's suitable for most informal and semi-formal situations when discussing personal feelings.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 考试没通过，他感到非常失落。
    • Pinyin: Kǎoshì méi tōngguò, tā gǎndào fēicháng shīluò.
    • English: He felt very dejected after not passing the exam.
    • Analysis: This is a classic use case. The failure to meet a specific goal (passing the exam) leads directly to the feeling of 失落.
  • Example 2:
    • 毕业后，看着朋友们一个个离开，我心里空荡荡的，很失落。
    • Pinyin: Bìyè hòu, kànzhe péngyǒumen yīgè gè líkāi, wǒ xīnli kōngdàngdàng de, hěn shīluò.
    • English: After graduation, watching my friends leave one by one, I felt empty and very lost.
    • Analysis: This example highlights the “emptiness” aspect of 失落. The loss is not a failure, but the end of an era and the loss of companionship.
  • Example 3:
    • 他深爱着她，所以当她拒绝他时，他充满了失落感。
    • Pinyin: Tā shēn àizhe tā, suǒyǐ dāng tā jùjué tā shí, tā chōngmǎnle shīluò gǎn.
    • English: He loved her deeply, so when she rejected him, he was filled with a sense of loss.
    • Analysis: Here, 失落 is combined with 感 (gǎn - feeling/sense) to form “失落感” (a sense of loss), a very common construction.
  • Example 4:
    • 曾经热闹的家现在只剩下我一个人，这种失落无法用言语形容。
    • Pinyin: Céngjīng rènào de jiā xiànzài zhǐ shèng xià wǒ yīgè rén, zhè zhǒng shīluò wúfǎ yòng yányǔ xíngróng.
    • English: The once-lively home now only has me left; this feeling of dejection is indescribable.
    • Analysis: This sentence powerfully conveys the feeling of loss associated with loneliness and change.
  • Example 5:
    • 听到比赛被取消的消息，孩子们眼中流露出失落的表情。
    • Pinyin: Tīngdào bǐsài bèi qǔxiāo de xiāoxī, háizimen yǎnzhōng liúlù chū shīluò de biǎoqíng.
    • English: Upon hearing the news that the competition was canceled, the children's eyes revealed a look of disappointment.
    • Analysis: This shows that 失落 can be a visible emotion, expressed through one's facial expression (表情).
  • Example 6:
    • 他以为这次升职非他莫属，结果出来后，他的失落可想而知。
    • Pinyin: Tā yǐwéi zhè cì shēngzhí fēi tā mò shǔ, jiéguǒ chūlái hòu, tā de shīluò kěxiǎng'érzhī.
    • English: He thought the promotion was his for sure, so after the results came out, his dejection was imaginable.
    • Analysis: This connects 失落 to high expectations that have been dashed. The higher the hope, the greater the 失落.
  • Example 7:
    • 假期结束了，总会有一点点失落。
    • Pinyin: Jiàqī jiéshùle, zǒng huì yǒu yīdiǎndiǎn shīluò.
    • English: When the holiday is over, there's always a little bit of a downcast feeling.
    • Analysis: This demonstrates a mild, everyday use of 失落. It's the small, sinking feeling that comes when a good time is over.
  • Example 8:
    • 读完这本小说，我感到一种莫名的失落，好像告别了一位好朋友。
    • Pinyin: Dú wán zhè běn xiǎoshuō, wǒ gǎndào yī zhǒng mòmíng de shīluò, hǎoxiàng gàobiéle yī wèi hǎo péngyǒu.
    • English: After finishing this novel, I felt an inexplicable sense of loss, as if I had said goodbye to a good friend.
    • Analysis: 失落 can be caused by the loss of an imaginary world or connection, showing its abstract nature.
  • Example 9:
    • 她的表演没有得到预期的掌声，她失落地走下舞台。
    • Pinyin: Tā de biǎoyǎn méiyǒu dédào yùqí de zhǎngshēng, tā shīluò de zǒu xià wǔtái.
    • English: Her performance didn't receive the expected applause, and she walked off the stage dejectedly.
    • Analysis: Here, 失落 is used as an adverb (失落地) to describe an action performed in a dejected manner.
  • Example 10:
    • 在大城市里，有时候即使身边有很多人，你也会感到失落和孤独。
    • Pinyin: Zài dà chéngshì lǐ, yǒushíhòu jíshǐ shēnbiān yǒu hěnduō rén, nǐ yě huì gǎndào shīluò hé gūdú.
    • English: In a big city, sometimes even if you're surrounded by people, you will feel lost and lonely.
    • Analysis: This links 失落 with the modern feeling of urban alienation and loneliness.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • 失落 (shīluò) vs. 失望 (shīwàng): This is the most common point of confusion.
    • 失望 (shīwàng - disappointed): This is about an unmet expectation. It's often directed at a specific event, person, or outcome. “我对你很失望” (I am very disappointed in you). It's the initial “ugh, that's not what I wanted” feeling.
    • 失落 (shīluò - dejected/lost): This is the lingering, internal feeling of emptiness after the disappointment. It's more about the void left behind. You feel 失望 at the bad news, but you feel 失落 because of the bad news.
  • 失落 (shīluò) vs. 失去 (shīqù):
    • 失去 (shīqù - to lose): This verb is used for losing concrete things or established abstract concepts. “我失去了我的工作” (I lost my job).
    • 失落 (shīluò): This is the feeling that results from 失去.
  • Common Mistake: Using 失落 for losing a physical object.
    • Incorrect: 我失落了我的钥匙。(Wǒ shīluò le wǒ de yàoshi.) - This sounds like “I felt dejected my keys.”
    • Correct: 我丢了我的钥匙。(Wǒ diūle wǒ de yàoshi.) - I lost my keys.
    • Correct: 因为丢了钥匙，我感到很失落。(Yīnwèi diūle yàoshi, wǒ gǎndào hěn shīluò.) - Because I lost my keys, I feel very dejected.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 失望 (shīwàng) - Disappointment. The direct feeling of an unmet expectation; often the cause of 失落.
  • 难过 (nánguò) - Sad. A more general term for feeling bad or upset. 失落 is a specific type of sadness that includes emptiness.
  • 沮丧 (jǔsàng) - Depressed, dejected. A stronger, heavier, and sometimes more clinical term than 失落.
  • 空虚 (kōngxū) - Empty, void. This describes the core feeling of emptiness that is central to the meaning of 失落.
  • 迷茫 (mímáng) - Confused, adrift. Describes a state of being directionless, which can both cause and result from feeling 失落.
  • 孤独 (gūdú) - Lonely. A feeling of being alone that is often intertwined with 失落.
  • 遗憾 (yíhàn) - Regret, pity. The feeling about a past event you wish had gone differently, which can lead to a long-term sense of 失落.
  • 伤心 (shāngxīn) - Heartbroken, sad. Literally “injured heart,” it implies a more acute pain than the dull ache of 失落.