1.
to be stunned; to be dumbfounded; to be dazed
To be so shocked or overwhelmed that one cannot think or react. Describes a state of mental blankness caused by surprise, grief, or disbelief.
その知らせに呆然とした。
I was stunned by the news.
彼女は呆然と立ち尽くしていた。
She stood there in a complete daze.
火事で家を失い、しばらく呆然として何も考えられなかった。
After losing my home in the fire, I was in a daze for a while and couldn't think about anything.
Describes a state of shock or stupor where one temporarily loses the ability to think or act. The feeling is caused by something sudden and overwhelming — bad news, an accident, an unexpected sight. It implies a visible, physical stillness.
USAGE:
Most commonly appears in the past tense (呆然とした) or as a modifier (呆然と立つ, 呆然と見つめる). The と particle is essential — 呆然する alone sounds unnatural.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 呆然と立ち尽くす — to stand stock-still in a daze
- 呆然と見つめる — to stare blankly
- 呆然自失 — stupefied; in a state of shock (four-character compound)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 唖然とする — to be dumbfounded; emphasizes speechlessness, often at something absurd or outrageous
- 茫然とする — variant spelling with the same meaning; 茫然 emphasizes vagueness and emptiness
- 愕然とする — to be shocked; emphasizes the moment of impact rather than the lingering daze