Cry meanings in Japanese

泣く (なく)

Example:

She started to cry when she heard the sad news.

彼女は悲しいニュースを聞いて泣き始めた。

It's okay to cry if you're feeling overwhelmed.

圧倒されているなら泣いても大丈夫です。

Usage: informalContext: Used in emotional situations, such as sadness, grief, or frustration.

Note: This is the most common usage of 'cry' referring to shedding tears.

叫ぶ (さけぶ)

Example:

He cried out in pain after he fell.

彼は転んで痛みで叫んだ。

Don't cry out like that; it scares me!

そんな風に叫ばないで、私を怖がらせる！

Usage: informalContext: Used when someone shouts or calls out, often due to pain or surprise.

Note: This meaning focuses on vocal expression rather than emotional tears.

泣き声 (なきごえ)

Example:

The baby's cry woke us up in the middle of the night.

赤ちゃんの泣き声が真夜中に私たちを起こした。

I can hear the cries of the birds in the morning.

朝に鳥の泣き声が聞こえる。

Usage: informalContext: Refers to the sound of crying, can be used for humans or animals.

Note: This is often used to describe the actual sound made while crying.

叫び (さけび)

Example:

His cry for help was heard by a passerby.

彼の助けを求める叫びは通行人に聞こえた。

She let out a cry of joy when she won the prize.

彼女は賞を取ったとき喜びの叫びを上げた。

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used in both emotional and dramatic contexts, often expressing a strong feeling.

Note: This term can imply a more intense or dramatic expression than just 'cry.'

泣くこと (なくこと)

Example:

Crying is a natural response to grief.

泣くことは悲しみに対する自然な反応です。

He believes that crying is a sign of strength, not weakness.

彼は泣くことは弱さではなく、強さの証だと信じている。

Usage: formalContext: Used in discussions about emotions, psychology, or literature.

Note: This form is more abstract and refers to the act or concept of crying.

weep

To shed tears as an expression of emotion, such as sorrow or joy.

Example: She wept uncontrollably at the sad news.

Note: Weeping is often associated with a quieter and more prolonged display of emotion compared to crying.

sob

To cry noisily while taking in short, sudden breaths.

Example: The child sobbed loudly after falling and hurting his knee.

Note: Sobbing typically involves audible sounds and more intense emotional distress than regular crying.

wail

To cry out loudly in a high-pitched, mournful manner.

Example: The mourners wailed in grief at the funeral.

Note: Wailing is often associated with expressing deep sorrow or anguish in a more vocal and dramatic way than crying.

whimper

To cry softly with slight, intermittent sounds.

Example: The puppy whimpered when left alone in the house.

Note: Whimpering is a quieter and softer form of crying, often associated with animals or expressing mild distress.

Cry over spilled milk

This idiom means there's no point in getting upset over something that has already happened and cannot be changed.

Example: There's no use crying over spilled milk. We need to focus on finding a solution.

Note: The phrase 'cry over spilled milk' uses 'cry' metaphorically to mean lament or worry excessively about something.

Cry wolf

This phrase refers to someone who gives false alarms or alerts, making others doubt the credibility of future claims.

Example: You can't keep crying wolf every time you need help; people won't believe you when it's important.

Note: The phrase 'cry wolf' uses 'cry' to imply a false or exaggerated alarm, rather than actual tears.

Cry on someone's shoulder

To cry on someone's shoulder means to seek comfort and support by sharing one's emotions and problems with another person.

Example: After the breakup, she needed to cry on someone's shoulder to feel better.

Note: The phrase 'cry on someone's shoulder' uses 'cry' to indicate emotional expression in the presence of a supportive listener.

Laugh until you cry

This phrase describes a situation where someone finds something extremely funny, leading to uncontrollable laughter and tears.

Example: The comedy show was so hilarious that we laughed until we cried.

Note: In this phrase, 'cry' is used to convey intense emotion, but in a positive and joyful context.

Cry foul

To cry foul means to protest against something that is considered unfair or unjust.

Example: The coach cried foul when the referee made a questionable call during the game.

Note: Here, 'cry' is used to signal a formal objection or complaint, rather than literal tears.

Bawl one's eyes out

To bawl one's eyes out means to cry loudly and uncontrollably, often in a dramatic or intense manner.

Example: She bawled her eyes out after watching the sad movie.

Note: This phrase uses 'bawl' to emphasize the intensity of crying, going beyond the usual connotation of 'cry.'

Cry me a river

This phrase is used sarcastically to dismiss someone else's complaints or emotional display as excessive or unwarranted.

Example: I'm not going to cry me a river just because things didn't go my way.

Note: The phrase 'cry me a river' mocks the idea of crying excessively by exaggerating the expression 'cry.'

Cry your heart out

To cry your heart out means to cry intensely and at length, releasing all your pent-up emotions.

Example: After the loss, she went to her room and cried her heart out.

Note: In this phrase, 'cry' is used to indicate a deep emotional release, often involving prolonged and heartfelt tears.

Get the waterworks going

This slang term refers to crying or tears starting to flow, often in response to something emotional or sad.

Example: Whenever she watches sad movies, she always gets the waterworks going.

Note: The term 'waterworks' is a colloquial way of referring to tears or crying, without using the word 'cry'.

Tear up

To become emotional to the point of shedding tears.

Example: His speech was so moving, it made many people tear up.

Note: Instead of explicitly stating 'cry', 'tear up' subtly implies the action of crying due to emotional reasons.

Have a good cry

To intentionally cry as a form of emotional release or catharsis.

Example: Sometimes, it's necessary to just have a good cry to release pent-up emotions.

Note: The phrase 'have a good cry' suggests a purposeful act of crying to feel better or to let out emotions.

Snivel

To cry or sniffle in a weak, fretful, or self-pitying way.

Example: Stop sniveling and stand up for yourself!

Note: While 'snivel' can mean crying, it often has a connotation of annoyance or weakness, contrasting with a more stoic or composed form of crying.

Choke up

To become emotional to the point of having difficulty speaking due to tears welling up.

Example: She choked up when she saw the surprise her friends had arranged for her birthday.

Note: 'Choke up' refers specifically to the inability to speak due to emotions, implying the urge to cry or tears forming.

Break down

To succumb to intense emotion, often leading to uncontrollable tears or crying.

Example: After the breakup, he finally broke down and cried for hours.

Note: 'Break down' typically signifies a moment of emotional collapse or vulnerability, often accompanied by crying, in response to a significant event or situation.

She couldn't help but cry when she heard the news.

The baby cried all night long.

He cried out in pain when he stubbed his toe.

Cry - Proper noun (Proper noun) / Proper noun, singular (Proper noun, singular)

Lemma: cry

Conjugations

Noun, plural (Noun, plural): cries

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): cry

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): cried

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): crying

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): cries

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): cry

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): cry

Syllabification and Stress

cry Contains 1 syllables: cry

Phonetic transcription: ˈkrī

cry , ˈkrī (The red syllable is stressed)

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

cry: ~ 1400 (Very common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Cry