1.
to lose oneself; to forget oneself; to be beside oneself
To become so absorbed in something or so overwhelmed by emotion that one loses awareness of oneself and one's surroundings. Can be positive (absorbed in joy) or negative (losing composure in anger).
我を忘れて怒る。
To fly into a rage, forgetting oneself.
美しい景色に我を忘れた。
I was so captivated by the beautiful scenery that I forgot myself.
我を忘れて夢中になっていたら、終電を逃してしまった。
I was so absorbed that I forgot myself and missed the last train.
A set expression meaning to forget one's usual self — to lose composure, self-awareness, or restraint. 我 here is a literary/formal word for 'self.'
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 我を忘れて〜する: to do something while lost in the moment
- 我を忘れるほど: to the point of losing oneself
USAGE:
Used in both positive and negative contexts:
- Positive: being so captivated by beauty, joy, or excitement that one loses track of time and surroundings
- Negative: losing self-control due to anger, panic, or strong emotion
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 夢中になる: to become absorbed — more neutral and everyday
- 取り乱す: to lose one's composure — emphasizes emotional disturbance, usually negative
- 逆上する: to fly into a rage — specifically about losing control through anger