1.
sour grapes; poor loser attitude
Making excuses or disparaging something after failing to obtain it; refusing to accept defeat gracefully.
それは負け惜しみに聞こえる。
That sounds like sour grapes.
負け惜しみを言うな。
Don't be a sore loser./Stop making excuses.
負け惜しみかもしれないが、あの仕事は自分に合わなかった。
It might be sour grapes, but that job wasn't right for me.
負け惜しみが強い人は嫌われやすい。
People who are sore losers tend to be disliked.
「あの大学には最初から行きたくなかった」と言うのは負け惜しみだろう。
Saying "I never wanted to go to that university anyway" is probably just sour grapes.
WORD FORMATION:
負け (defeat) + 惜しむ (to regret, grudge) → regretting defeat = sour grapes
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 負け惜しみを言う - to make excuses after losing
- 負け惜しみに聞こえる - to sound like sour grapes
- 負け惜しみが強い - to be a bad loser
NUANCE:
Used when someone refuses to accept failure gracefully and instead makes excuses or criticizes what they couldn't get. Similar to the English "sour grapes" from Aesop's fable.
CONTRAST:
- 強がり - putting on a brave face (hiding vulnerability)
- 負け惜しみ - sour grapes (making excuses for failure)
Related Words
Related:
強がり (bravado)