負(ま)け惜(お)しみ

まけおしみ
noun
sour grapes; poor loser attitude; excuses
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(ま)け惜(お)しみに聞(き)こえる。
That sounds like sour grapes.
負(ま)け惜(お)しみを言(い)うな。
Don't be a sore loser./Stop making excuses.
負(ま)け惜(お)しみかもしれないが、あの仕事(しごと)は自分(じぶん)に合(あ)わなかった。
It might be sour grapes, but that job wasn't right for me.

WORD FORMATION:
負(ま)け (defeat) + 惜(お)しむ (to regret, grudge) → regretting defeat = sour grapes

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 負(ま)け惜(お)しみを言(い)う - to make excuses after losing
  • 負(ま)け惜(お)しみに聞(き)こえる - to sound like sour grapes
  • 負(ま)け惜(お)しみが強(つよ)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(つよ)がり - putting on a brave face (hiding vulnerability)
  • 負(ま)け惜(お)しみ - sour grapes (making excuses for failure)

Related Words

Related: 強(つよ)がり (bravado)
core
Added 2026.1.19 13:09 · Revised 2026.1.24 23:24
07000/07308_makeoshimi