うつむく
うつむく
verb (godan, intransitive)
to look down; to hang one's head
1.
to look down; to hang one's head; to bow one's head
To tilt one's face or head downward. Often associated with emotions such as sadness, shame, or deep thought.
恥ずかしくてうつむいてしまった。
I was so embarrassed that I looked down.
彼はうつむいたまま何も言わなかった。
He remained looking down and said nothing.
悲しそうにうつむく彼女の姿が忘れられない。
I can't forget the sight of her hanging her head sadly.
TRANSITIVITY:
Intransitive verb (自動詞). Can also be written as 俯く with kanji.
USAGE:
うつむく often conveys emotional nuance - people look down when embarrassed, sad, ashamed, or deep in thought. It's different from simply looking at the ground; it implies an emotional or psychological state.
RELATED EXPRESSIONS:
- うつむきがち - tending to look down
- うつむき加減 - with head slightly bowed
- うつむいて歩く - to walk with head down
CONTRAST:
- 上を向く - to look up (antonym)
- うなだれる - to hang one's head (more pronounced drooping, often from exhaustion or defeat)
REGISTER:
Neutral. Common in both spoken and written Japanese.
Related Words
Related:
うなだれる (droop head)