in the doldrums
不振で
解説 Definition
活気がなく停滞している状態。景気や気分が沈んで低迷している様子。
This idiom means being in a low, inactive, or unhappy state. It can describe a person who feels unmotivated or a business, market, or activity that is not doing well. The phrase often suggests a period of little energy or progress.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
slump や downturn に近いが、in the doldrums は「一時的に元気がない」「低空飛行が続く」という停滞感をまとめて言える表現。人の気分にも景気や売上にも使えるのが覚えどころです。be in the doldrums をひとかたまりで覚え、the economy is in the doldrums, sales are in the doldrums のような定番で定着させると、単なる sad ではなく「活気がなく不振」という像で残ります。
Remember the whole chunk "be in the doldrums." It is often used for sales, business, or the economy, so connect it with a long period of low energy and weak activity. It is more than just feeling sad; it suggests a dull, slow slump.
例文
The housing market has been in the doldrums for the past two years.
住宅市場はここ2年間低迷している。
After the holiday season, retail sales are usually in the doldrums until spring.
年末商戦の後、小売売上は通常、春まで低迷している。
He's been in the doldrums ever since he lost his job, barely leaving the house.
彼は失業して以来ずっと気分が沈んでおり、ほとんど家から出ない。
in the doldrums の類義語・関連語
in the doldrums の語源・成り立ち Etymology
doldrums は語源がやや不確かですが、古英語 dol「愚かな・鈍い」と同系で、dull に近い語と考えられています。もとは気分の沈みやだるさを表し、後に無風で船が進まない海域にも使われたため、「停滞・不振」の感じが腑に落ち、関連語に dull や doldrum があります。
"Doldrums" has an uncertain history, but it is often linked with old Germanic words for dullness, sluggishness, or foolishness, related in sense to "dull." It first referred to low spirits or a sluggish state. Later it was also used for the calm equatorial seas where ships could get stuck without wind, which strengthened its meaning of stagnation or lack of progress.
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