Japanese word "setsunai" How do you translate to English?

Question

Japanese word "setsunai" means not just "sad" but also sentimental or slightly distressed and still loving emotions are in it, i think. I always don't know how to explain this feeling in English.

I just look up my dictionary again(I have done before the question, though). And
切ない（悲しさ・寂しさなどで、胸が締め付けられるような気持ちだ。）
感傷（物に感じて心をいためること）
So I don't think it has nothing to do with each other.

Answer 1

Please listen to this song, the singer is Hikaru Utada, she is a popular singer in Japan, and if you want to know how she express her feelings by using this word setsunai,,,just read the lyrics while she is singing.
as setsunai goes for the word -cruel == in her lyrics..
It is a very popular song. I like her music too.I think you know her too and some of her songs.

setsunai can also be bitter or painful.. sad to mention with lots of heart aches,

Answer 2

Japanese Word For Sad

Answer 3

It could be that there is no direct translation in English, or that it could indirectly translate into more than one thing. This is very common when translating a word from one language to another.

Answer 4

I know you're Japanese, but I think you (and many Japanese) misunderstand the definition of "setsunai." Setsunai (切ない) means "圧迫されて苦しい。胸がしめつけられる思いでつらい。" Thus, setsunai has nothing to do with "sentimental" and would be best translated into English as "cruel" like Nyl said. Painful, bitter, and heart aches are good translations too, but in my opinion, "cruel" is the best.

There are some Japanese words that the Japanese themselves misunderstand the meaning of the words. For example, the majority of Japanese believe that "kosoku (姑息)" means "hikyona (卑怯な)" and is translated into English as contemptible, nasty, or mean. However, its correct meaning is "ichijishinogi (一時しのぎ)" and the equivalent word in English would be "makeshift."

Another example is "buzen (憮然)." Most Japanese think it means "harawo tateteiruyousu (腹を立てている様子)." To get angry with somebody or something. Its real meaning, however, is "shitsuboushite bonyarishiteiruyousu (失望してぼんやりしている様子)." Being in despair and at a loss.

Anyway, please look up the word "setsunai" in your Japanese-Japanese dictionary. It says setusnai means cruel, and Nyl's answer is the best!

Answer 5

"setsunai ne" translates to "It's painful" in English

Answer 6

Yahoo has a Babel fish translator for future reference.

Answer 7

Sensible.

Answer 8

" If Japan did actually such a thing, if Japanese government know it and trying to whitewash it, then it is wrong, of course. "

The Japanese millitary did commit many attorcities during WW2:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes

The problem isn't with the majority of the Japanese government, who are decent, honest people. The problem lies in the few ultra-nationalistic/ conservative politicans who are trying to take power.
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Here is a list of possible words:
heart broken, heart sick, painfull, melancholy, somber...

here is a thesaurus link
http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/sad

Answer 9

sad and painful