胸(むね)をなでおろす

むねをなでおろす
expression
to breathe a sigh of relief; to feel relieved
emotion
1. to breathe a sigh of relief; to feel relieved
An idiomatic expression meaning to feel greatly relieved after a period of anxiety or worry. Literally, 'to stroke one's chest downward' — a gesture of relief.
無事(ぶじ)だと聞(き)いて胸(むね)をなでおろした。
I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard everyone was safe.
試験(しけん)に合格(ごうかく)して、やっと胸(むね)をなでおろすことができた。
I finally felt relieved after passing the exam.
手術(しゅじゅつ)が成功(せいこう)したと医者(いしゃ)から聞(き)いて、家族(かぞく)全員(ぜんいん)が胸(むね)をなでおろした。
The whole family breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor said the surgery was successful.

Usage

The literal image is of stroking one's chest downward as a physical expression of relief, a gesture seen in Japanese culture when tension subsides. Almost always used in the past tense (胸(むね)をなでおろした) to describe the moment relief is felt. Can also be written with kanji as 胸(むね)を撫(な)で下(お)ろす.

Common collocations

Similar words

Related Words

Synonym: ほっとする (casual)
Synonym: 安堵(あんど) (formal, literary)
Compare: 安堵(あんど)する (to feel relieved)
general
Added 2026.3.9 15:23 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
16000/16004_munewonadeorosu