This week hasn’t quite gone as planned. That might be an understatement. You know those weeks when everything seems like it's falling apart? Well you still have to study on those weeks. And I am still here to teach you guys some Japanese.

But let’s keep with the theme and learn about sadness!

In Japanese, you are probably already familiar with the word for “to cry” 泣く(なく).
But there are so many more colorful words you can use to describe crying. Whether it's silently sniffling, or the loud booming cry of a child, we have so many ways to express the idea of crying.

Here are some ways in Japanese:

---

涙ぐむ(なみだぐむ) “to be moved to tears” This expression is used when you have tears in your eyes, but they don’t actually fall. Like when you get all choked up after watching that trailer for a dog movie (“A Dog’s Purpose,” and don’t say I didn’t warn you).

「タイタニック」を見ると毎回涙ぐむ。
「たいたにっく」を　みる　と　まいかい　なみだぐむ。
I tear up every time I watch Titanic.
Literally: “Titanic + を + watch + と + every time + move to tears”

---

泣き崩れる(なきくずれる)”to break down crying” This expression is used when someone loses their calm and starts crying with abandon. It uses the word 崩れる(くずれる) which means “to crumble.”

帰った後、ベッドで泣き崩れた。
かえった　あと、べっど　で　なきくずれた。
After I got home, I broke down crying on my bed.
Literally: “went home + after + bed + で + broke down crying”

---

忍び泣く(しのびなく) “ to shed silent tears” This expression is used when someone is holding back crying the best they can, but the tears come out anyway.

彼は肩をふるわせて忍び泣いた。
かれ　は　かた　を　ふるわせて　しのびないた。
His shoulders shook as he cried silently.
Literally: “he + は + shoulders + を + shake + silently cried”

---

むずかる “to fret, to whine” This is used when a small child is whining or crying to an adult when things don’t go their way. It can also be used for infants.

レストランで母親はむずかる子をなだめようとしていた。
れすとらん　で　ははおや　は　むずかる　こ　を　なだめよう　と　していた。
The mother soothed her crying child in the restaurant.
Literally: “restaurant + で + mother + は + fret/cry + child + を + was trying to sooth”
Note: ようとしている in this case is showing a progression of action, or a change.

---

大泣きする(おおなきする) “to cry fiercely and loudly” This expression is used almost the same as 泣く(なく)except it is more forceful.

彼女は別れの後、大泣きした。
かのじょ　は　わかれ　の　あと、　おおなき　した。
She cried loudly after the breakup.
Literally: “she + は + break up + の + after + crying loudly + did”

---

号泣する(ごうきゅうする) “to cry intensely” This is also an intensified version of 泣く(なく).

親友の結婚式で号泣してしまった。
しんゆう　の　けっこんしき　で　ごうきゅう　して　しまった。
I broke into tears during my best friend's wedding.
Literally: "close friend + の + wedding ceremony + で + crying intensely + did."

---

鳴く(なく) ”cry, howl, wail” This means an animal cry and is used for animals only.

外で猫が鳴いていた。
そと　で　ねこ　が　ないていた。
A cat was crying outside.
Literally: “outside + で + cat + が + was crying”

So next time you are having a bad week, try using some of these expressions to describe how you are crying!

It might make you feel a bit better.

---

This lesson was written by Cassy L., a guest contributor: