1.
blunder; carelessness; being caught off guard
A failure or mistake caused by lack of vigilance or awareness. Often used to describe a moment of uncharacteristic weakness or an embarrassing lapse.
不覚にも涙が出た。
I shed tears before I knew it.
不覚にも電車で寝過ごしてしまった。
I carelessly slept past my stop on the train.
あんな簡単な問題を間違えるとは不覚だった。
Getting such an easy question wrong was a careless blunder.
不覚 literally means "not being aware" (不 + 覚). It is commonly used in the set phrase 不覚にも, meaning "inadvertently" or "before I realized it."
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 不覚にも～ (inadvertently; before I knew it)
- ～とは不覚だった (it was careless that...)
- 不覚を取る (to be caught off guard; to make a blunder)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 不覚にも涙が出た (tears came before I could stop them)
- 不覚を取る (to be defeated by carelessness)
USAGE NOTES:
The phrase 不覚にも涙が出た is a very common expression meaning someone was unexpectedly moved to tears — implying that crying was not intended and somewhat embarrassing.