挫折（ざせつ、zasetsu）
- setback

The Japanese word 挫折 （ざせつ, *zasetsu*) primarily means "failure," "setback," or "frustration." It refers to the act of giving up on a goal or ambition, often due to difficulties, obstacles, or a lack of progress. The word implies a feeling of disappointment or discouragement. It can also describe the experience of being defeated or thwarted. ⚫︎ It suggests a point where one's efforts to achieve something have been stopped or have lost momentum. ⚫︎ The word often carries a sense of negative emotion and the loss of hope or motivation. ⚫︎ The concept extends beyond simply not succeeding; it encompasses the emotional impact of such an experience.

⚫︎ 彼は試験に挫折した。 Translation: He failed the exam. ⚫︎ 何度も挑戦したが、結局挫折してしまった。 Translation: I tried many times, but I ended up giving up. ⚫︎ 夢を追いかけたが、途中で挫折を味わった。 Translation: I pursued my dream, but I experienced a setback along the way.

⚫︎ 挫折 is a versatile word, suitable for both formal and informal conversations. ⚫︎ It can be used to discuss one's own experiences or the experiences of others. ⚫︎ When discussing a personal experience, you might say 挫折を経験した（*zasetsu o keiken shita* - "I experienced failure/a setback"). ⚫︎ You can also use it to describe a specific event, like 試験で挫折した（*shiken de zasetsu shita* - "I failed in the exam"). ⚫︎ When discussing other people's experiences, you might say 彼は挫折を乗り越えた（*kare wa zasetsu o norikoeta* - "He overcame the setback").

⚫︎ The word 挫折 is typically written in kanji: 挫折. ⚫︎ Hiragana reading is ざせつ. ⚫︎ It is rarely written in katakana. ⚫︎ There are no significant variations in okurigana. The word usually appears in its complete form as 挫折. ⚫︎ Conjugation: ⚫︎ 挫折する (*zasetsu suru*) - to fail / to be defeated (verb form) ⚫︎ 挫折した (*zasetsu shita*) - failed / was defeated (past tense) ⚫︎ 挫折しやすい (*zasetsu shiyasui*) - prone to failure / easily defeated (adjective form)

⚫︎ 失敗（*shippai*) - failure ⚫︎ 敗北（*haiboku*) - defeat ⚫︎ 落胆（*rakutan*) - disappointment ⚫︎ 断念（*dannen*) - giving up (on a plan or ambition) ⚫︎ 頓挫（*tonza*) - setback / being brought to a standstill

⚫︎ 成功（*seikou*) - success ⚫︎ 達成（*tacsei*) - achievement ⚫︎ 克服（*kokufuku*) - overcoming ⚫︎ 実現（*jitsugen*) - realization

彼は何度も挫折を味わったが、決して諦めなかった。 ・Translation: He experienced setbacks many times, but he never gave up. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 挫折 describes a recurring event and the determination to overcome it.

彼女は小説家になる夢を挫折し、違う道を選んだ。 ・Translation: She gave up on her dream of becoming a novelist and chose a different path. ・Explanation: This example demonstrates 挫折 in the context of abandoning a long-term goal and making a change.

⚫︎ 挫折 is a compound word formed from two kanji. ⚫︎ 挫 (*za*) means to "break," "crush," or "frustrate." ⚫︎ 折 (*setsu*) means to "break," "fold," or "bend." ⚫︎ Together, the two characters express the idea of something being "broken," "crushed," or "defeated," thus capturing the concept of "failure" or "setback."