How to say "gloom" in Japanese

• 憂さうさCommon
  nounCovers gloom as a personal, brooding melancholy that one wants to vent, distract oneself from, or drown. It suggests a recurring weariness of spirit rather than a clinical mood.
• 陰影いんえいCommon
  nounMostly the visual sense: shadow, shade, or shading in a picture, face, or scene, where gloom is the dark effect of light. A marginal choice for emotional gloom; it is really about shading.
  陰影いんえいに気きをつけてみたのですがなかなかうまくいかないです。↗

  I tried to take care with the shadows, but it just doesn't go very well.
• 憂鬱ゆううつJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveEmotional gloom at its heaviest: depression, dejection, a pervasive low spirits. Use it for a settled, oppressive gloom weighing on a person rather than a passing shadow over the mood.
  雨あめが降ふると彼女かのじょは憂鬱ゆううつになる。↗

  When it rains, she feels blue.
• 陰りかげりCommon
  nounGloom as a shadow or cloud that comes over something, especially over someone's happiness or expression. It points to a dimming of a formerly bright mood rather than deep depression.

For emotional gloom choose 憂鬱 (heaviest), 「憂さ」 (weariness to vent or drown), or 「陰り」 (a shadow cast on happiness); for physical or visual gloom use 陰影.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 憂さうさgloom
• 陰影いんえいshadow
• 憂鬱ゆううつdepression
• 陰りかげりshadow (e.g. on someone's happiness)
• 気鬱きうつgloom
• 暗鬱あんうつgloom
• 幽暗ゆうあんgloom
• 冥暗めいあんgloom
• 薄暗闇うすくらやみgloom
• 憂愁ゆうしゅうmelancholy
• 沈鬱ちんうつmelancholy
• 不明朗ふめいろうgloominess
• 暗影あんえいshadow
• 暗さくらさdarkness
• 昏冥こんめいdarkness
• 憂色ゆうしょくmelancholy air
• 曇りくもりgloom
• もやくやdepression
• 陰かげgloom (in someone's expression, nature, etc.)