呆然(ぼうぜん)

ぼうぜん
taru-adjective, adverb
dumbfounded, stunned, in a daze
emotion
See also: 茫然(ぼうぜん) (dazed, stunned (variant))
1. dumbfounded, stunned, in a daze, stupefied
A state of being so shocked, surprised, or overwhelmed that one cannot think or react. Often describes standing or sitting motionless in disbelief.
彼(かれ)は呆然(ぼうぜん)と立(た)ち尽(つ)くした。
He stood there dumbfounded.
突然(とつぜん)の知(し)らせに呆然(ぼうぜん)とした。
I was stunned by the sudden news.
火事(かじ)で家(いえ)を失(うしな)った人(ひと)たちが、焼(や)け跡(あと)の前(まえ)で呆然(ぼうぜん)と立(た)っていた。
The people who had lost their homes in the fire stood dazed in front of the burned remains.

Common patterns

Taru-adjective. Used adverbially as 呆然(ぼうぜん)と (in a daze) or attributively as 呆然(ぼうぜん)たる (dazed). The adverbial form 呆然(ぼうぜん)と is far more common.

Usage

Almost always paired with physical descriptions of immobility: 立(た)ち尽(つ)くす (to stand rooted), 座(すわ)り込(こ)む (to collapse into sitting), 見(み)つめる (to stare).

Similar words

Common collocations

  • 呆然(ぼうぜん)と立(た)ち尽(つ)くす: to stand rooted in shock
  • 呆然(ぼうぜん)とする: to be dumbfounded
  • 呆然自失(ぼうぜんじしつ): stupefied, in a state of shock

Related Words

Synonym: 茫然(ぼうぜん) (dumbfounded, blank (near-synonym))
Compare: 唖然(あぜん) (dumbfounded, speechless, stunned)
Compare: 放心(ほうしん) (absent-mindedness)
Compare: 放心状態(ほうしんじょうたい) (dazed state)
general
Added 2026.3.19 8:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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