1.
nihilistic; bleakly empty; meaning-of-life-denying
Describing a feeling, atmosphere, or outlook that everything is meaningless or hollow. Less technical than 虚無主義的 — applies to moods, gazes, and worldviews, not just philosophy.
Compound of 虚無 (emptiness) + 的 (-like; -ic). Used about feelings, expressions, and outlooks; rarely about people directly.
Common collocations
- 虚無的な目: nihilistic eyes; vacant gaze
- 虚無的な表情: blank, empty expression
- 虚無的な気分: empty mood
- 虚無的な世界観: nihilistic worldview
Similar words
- 虚しい: empty; futile — sense of having no point; more about feeling than worldview
- 厭世的: world-weary — about being tired of the world rather than denying meaning
- ニヒルな: nihilistic — loanword adjective with the same feel; common in casual writing