しまった

Japanese

Etymology

The perfective form of しまう (shimau, to finish), literally meaning “finished”. Compare Mandarin 完了 (wánle).

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) った [shìmáꜜttà] (Nakadaka – [2])[1]
  • IPA(key): [ɕima̠t̚ta̠]

Interjection

しまった • (shimatta

  1. used in response to a failure or mistake: oh no; oops; damn; shit; crap
    Synonyms: やば (yaba), はあ (), 詰んだ (tsunda) (if the situation has no solution)
    • 1914, 夏目漱石 [Natsume Sōseki], chapter 36, in こゝろ [Kokoro], 下 先生と遺書 [Sensei's Testament]:
      そうして、すぐ失策(しま)った(おも)いました。(せん)()されたなと(おも)いました。
      Sōshite, sugu shimatta to omoimashita. Sen o kosareta na to omoimashita.
      Then I immediately thought, "Oh no. I've been beaten to it."

See also

References

  1. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN