1.
to harm, to impair, to spoil
To damage or negatively affect something, especially health, reputation, or relationships.
健康を損ねた。
I ruined my health.
無理をして体を損ねないように。
Be careful not to harm your health by overexerting yourself.
あの発言で信頼を損ねてしまった。
That remark ended up damaging the trust.
2.
to fail to do, to miss the chance to
As a verb suffix (V-stem + 損ねる), indicates missing the opportunity to do something or failing in an attempt. Attaches to the masu-stem of another verb.
言い損ねた。
I missed the chance to say it.
電車に乗り損ねた。
I missed the train.
聞き損ねたので、もう一度言ってもらえますか。
I missed what you said — could you repeat it?
TRANSITIVITY:
Transitive (他動詞). Takes を for the thing harmed.
ASPECT (ている):
損ねている describes a state of having been damaged/impaired (resulting state).
USAGE AS SUFFIX (sense 2):
V-masu stem + 損ねる means "to fail to V" or "to miss the chance to V." This is a productive pattern:
- 言い損ねる: to fail to say
- 乗り損ねる: to miss (a ride)
- 食べ損ねる: to miss out on eating
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 健康を損ねる: to ruin one's health
- 信頼を損ねる: to damage trust
- 機嫌を損ねる: to offend someone, to put someone in a bad mood