shīwàng: 失望 - Disappointed, Disappointment

• Keywords: shīwàng, 失望, disappointed in Chinese, how to say disappointment in Chinese, Chinese word for let down, feeling disappointed Chinese, shiwang meaning, HSK 4 vocabulary, lose hope in Chinese.
• Summary for Search Engines: Learn the meaning and use of “shīwàng” (失望), the essential Chinese word for “disappointed” or “disappointment.” This guide breaks down the characters 失 (lose) and 望 (hope), explains its cultural significance, and provides over 10 practical example sentences. Understand how to express being let down in Chinese and avoid common mistakes.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shīwàng
• Part of Speech: Verb / Adjective / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To be disappointed; to lose hope.
• In a Nutshell: 失望 (shīwàng) is the universal feeling of being let down when reality doesn't meet your expectations. It's a direct and powerful word that literally translates to “lose hope.” Whether you're disappointed in a person's actions, a movie's ending, or a team's performance, 失望 is the word you're looking for.

• 失 (shī): This character means “to lose,” “to miss,” or “to fail.” Think of it as the core of failure or loss, as seen in words like 失败 (shībài - to fail) or 丢失 (diūshī - to lose an item).
• 望 (wàng): This character means “to hope,” “to expect,” or “to gaze into the distance.” It's the character for hope itself, most famously used in the word 希望 (xīwàng - hope).

When you combine them, the meaning is incredibly intuitive: 失 (shī) + 望 (wàng) = To lose hope, which is the very definition of disappointment.

In any culture, disappointment is a familiar emotion. However, in Chinese culture, it can carry significant weight, particularly due to the emphasis on collective expectations and social harmony. Causing disappointment (让别人失望 - ràng biérén shīwàng) can be more than just a personal failing; it can be seen as letting down one's family, teacher, or group. For instance, a student not meeting academic expectations might feel deep 失望 not just for themselves, but for the “face” (面子 - miànzi) and hopes of their parents. Compared to the often individual-centric Western view of disappointment (“I'm bummed out”), the Chinese concept of 失望 can have a stronger interpersonal and social dimension. Expressing “I'm disappointed in you” (我对你很失望 - wǒ duì nǐ hěn shīwàng) is a very serious statement, implying a breach of trust, expectation, or responsibility. It’s not a phrase to be used lightly in conversation.

失望 is a common and versatile word used in many modern contexts. Its seriousness depends entirely on the situation and tone of voice.

• Expressing Personal Feelings: You can use it to describe your own state.
  • e.g., “I'm a little disappointed.” (我有点儿失望 - Wǒ yǒudiǎnr shīwàng.)
• In Relation to People or Things: The two most common grammatical structures are:
  • 对 + [Someone/Something] + 失望 (duì… shīwàng): To be disappointed in or with someone/something. This focuses on your feeling towards an external subject.
  • 让 + [Someone] + 失望 (ràng… shīwàng): To make someone disappointed or to let someone down. This focuses on the action of causing disappointment.
• As a Noun: It can also mean “disappointment” as a concept.
  • e.g., “A look of disappointment.” (失望的眼神 - shīwàng de yǎnshén.)
• Formality: It's a standard term used in both formal and informal contexts. While it can be used casually among friends about a bad meal, it can also be used with great severity in a business or family setting.

• Example 1: 他的表现让我很失望。
• Pinyin: Tā de biǎoxiàn ràng wǒ hěn shīwàng.
• English: His performance made me very disappointed.
• Analysis: This uses the `让 (ràng)` structure, highlighting that his performance was the *cause* of the disappointment. This is a very common way to express being let down by something or someone.
• Example 2: 我对这次的考试结果感到失望。
• Pinyin: Wǒ duì zhè cì de kǎoshì jiéguǒ gǎndào shīwàng.
• English: I feel disappointed with this exam's result.
• Analysis: This uses the `对 (duì)` structure to specify what the speaker is disappointed *with*. The verb 感到 (gǎndào - to feel) adds emphasis on the internal emotion.
• Example 3: 别担心，我不会让你失望的。
• Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, wǒ bù huì ràng nǐ shīwàng de.
• English: Don't worry, I won't let you down.
• Analysis: A classic and very useful phrase. This is a promise or reassurance. The final 的 (de) adds a sense of certainty.
• Example 4: 电影的结局有点儿失望。
• Pinyin: Diànyǐng de jiéjú yǒudiǎnr shīwàng.
• English: The movie's ending was a bit disappointing.
• Analysis: Here, 失望 functions as an adjective describing the ending. 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) softens the criticism, making it sound more casual.
• Example 5: 他的脸上露出了失望的表情。
• Pinyin: Tā de liǎn shàng lùchū le shīwàng de biǎoqíng.
• English: A disappointed expression appeared on his face.
• Analysis: In this sentence, 失望 acts as an adjective modifying “expression” (表情). This shows its use in descriptive narrative.
• Example 6: 虽然我们输了比赛，但不要失望，我们下次会赢回来。
• Pinyin: Suīrán wǒmen shūle bǐsài, dàn bùyào shīwàng, wǒmen xià cì huì yíng huílái.
• English: Although we lost the game, don't be disappointed, we'll win it back next time.
• Analysis: A great example of using 失望 in a motivational context, telling someone not to lose hope.
• Example 7: 我一次又一次地相信他，但他每次都让我失望。
• Pinyin: Wǒ yī cì yòu yī cì de xiāngxìn tā, dàn tā měi cì dōu ràng wǒ shīwàng.
• English: I trusted him again and again, but he let me down every time.
• Analysis: This sentence conveys a sense of chronic disappointment and frustration.
• Example 8: 我对他已经彻底失望了。
• Pinyin: Wǒ duì tā yǐjīng chèdǐ shīwàng le.
• English: I am completely disappointed in him. / I have completely lost hope in him.
• Analysis: The adverb 彻底 (chèdǐ - completely, thoroughly) intensifies 失望 to its maximum degree. This is a very strong and final-sounding statement.
• Example 9: 这家餐厅的食物和服务都令人失望。
• Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de shíwù hé fúwù dōu lìng rén shīwàng.
• English: This restaurant's food and service were both disappointing.
• Analysis: 令人 (lìng rén) is a more formal equivalent of 让 (ràng), often seen in written reviews or more formal speech. It means “to make people feel…”
• Example 10: 看到孩子们失望的眼神，他心里很难过。
• Pinyin: Kàndào háizimen shīwàng de yǎnshén, tā xīnli hěn nánguò.
• English: Seeing the disappointed looks in the children's eyes, he felt very sad in his heart.
• Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the relationship between 失望 and 难过 (nánguò - sad). The disappointment is the cause, and the sadness is the resulting feeling.

• Mistake 1: Confusing 失望 (shīwàng) with 难过 (nánguò).
  • 失望 (shīwàng) is about unmet expectations. You hoped for A, but you got B.
  • 难过 (nánguò) is about general sadness or feeling bad. A sad movie can make you 难过, but not necessarily 失望 (unless you expected it to be a comedy!).
  • Incorrect: ~~这部悲伤的电影让我很失望。~~ (This sad movie made me very disappointed.)
  • Correct: 这部电影的结局让我很失望。(This movie's ending made me very disappointed.)
  • Correct: 这部悲伤的电影让我很难过。(This sad movie made me very sad.)
• Mistake 2: Using it too casually when talking to people.
  • While you can say a movie was disappointing (对电影失望), saying “I'm disappointed in you” (我对你失望) is a very heavy statement in Chinese. It implies a serious breach of expectation or trust. For minor let-downs, it's often better to be less direct.
• Mistake 3: Incorrect grammar.
  • Remember the key structures. Don't translate directly from English.
  • Incorrect: ~~我失望在他的表现。~~ (I'm disappointed in his performance.)
  • Correct: 我对他的表现很失望。(Wǒ duì tā de biǎoxiàn hěn shīwàng.)
  • Correct: 他的表现让我很失望。(Tā de biǎoxiàn ràng wǒ hěn shīwàng.)

• 希望 (xīwàng) - Hope. The direct antonym of 失望. It's the expectation you have before you might become disappointed.
• 绝望 (juéwàng) - Despair; hopelessness. This is an extreme, much stronger version of 失望. It means to “cut off hope” completely.
• 难过 (nánguò) - Sad; to feel bad. The feeling of sadness that often accompanies disappointment.
• 遗憾 (yíhàn) - Regret; pity. Used for a situation that is a pity or a shame, often a missed opportunity. You might feel 遗憾 that you couldn't attend a party, but 失望 that the party you attended was boring.
• 灰心 (huīxīn) - Disheartened; discouraged. Literally “ash-hearted.” Very similar to 失望, but often implies a loss of confidence or motivation to continue.
• 期望 (qīwàng) - Expectation; to expect. This is the noun for the “hope” or “expectation” that, when lost, leads to 失望.
• 扫兴 (sǎoxìng) - To be a killjoy; to have one's fun spoiled. A much lighter, more specific type of disappointment, usually in a social or fun setting.