juéwàng: 绝望 - Despair, Hopeless

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Summary for Search Engines: Discover the deep meaning of “绝望” (juéwàng), the powerful Chinese word for despair and hopelessness. This guide breaks down the characters 绝 (to sever) and 望 (hope), explores its cultural significance, and provides practical example sentences. Learn the crucial difference between “绝望” (despair) and “失望” (disappointment) to use this term accurately and understand its profound emotional weight in modern Chinese.

Pinyin (with tone marks): juéwàng

Part of Speech: Verb / Adjective / Noun

HSK Level: HSK 6

Concise Definition: To lose all hope; to be in a state of utter despair.

In a Nutshell: “绝望” (juéwàng) is not just sadness or disappointment; it's the profound and heavy feeling of complete hopelessness. It describes a state where one sees no positive future, no way out of a difficult situation. Think of it as the emotional equivalent of a dead end. It’s a serious word used for serious situations.

绝 (jué): This character's core meaning is “to sever,” “to cut off,” or “to terminate.” Imagine a thread being decisively snipped. It implies a finality and an abrupt end.

望 (wàng): This character means “to hope,” “to look towards,” or “to gaze into the distance.” It carries a sense of expectation and looking forward to something.

When combined, 绝望 (juéwàng) literally means “to sever hope.” This powerful construction creates a vivid image of one's connection to all future possibilities being cut, leading to the ultimate state of despair.

In Chinese culture, “绝望” is a term with immense emotional weight, often reserved for literature, film, and truly dire personal circumstances. It's the ultimate expression of emotional suffering.

Comparison to Western “Despair”: While the meaning is very similar to the English word “despair,” the character `绝` (jué) gives it a stronger sense of finality and being “cut off.” In some traditional contexts that value stoicism and endurance (`吃苦` - chīkǔ, to bear hardship), admitting to `绝望` can be seen as reaching a true breaking point, a surrender of one's will to persevere. It's a state that characters in stories or real people often fight against with all their might, making the moment they fall into `绝望` incredibly dramatic and significant.

Serious Contexts: This word is most appropriately used in serious discussions about mental health, profound personal loss, failure, or insurmountable social problems. You would use it to describe someone who has lost a loved one and sees no future, or a business person whose company has gone bankrupt with no chance of recovery.

Literary/Dramatic Use: It is very common in song lyrics, movie titles, and novels to convey high drama and deep emotion.

Hyperbolic Use (Rare): Among close friends, it can occasionally be used hyperbolically for comedic effect (e.g., “I can't find my keys, I'm in despair!”). However, this is far less common than with lighter words like `烦` (fán - annoyed) and requires the right tone to not sound overly dramatic. For a learner, it's best to stick to its serious meaning.

Example 1: 他的生意失败了，他感到非常绝望。

Pinyin: Tā de shēngyì shībài le, tā gǎndào fēicháng juéwàng.

English: His business failed, and he felt utterly hopeless.

Analysis: This is a classic use of `绝望` as a feeling (adjective) resulting from a major life event.

Example 2: 在沙漠里迷路，没有水，我绝望地看着天空。

Pinyin: Zài shāmò lǐ mílù, méiyǒu shuǐ, wǒ juéwàng de kànzhe tiānkōng.

English: Lost in the desert without water, I looked at the sky in despair.

Analysis: Here, `绝望地` acts as an adverb, describing the manner in which the action (looking) is performed.

Example 3: 医生的话让他陷入了深深的绝望。

Pinyin: Yīshēng de huà ràng tā xiànrù le shēnshēn de juéwàng.

English: The doctor's words made him sink into deep despair.

Analysis: In this sentence, `绝望` functions as a noun, a state that someone can “sink into” (`陷入`).

Example 4: 即使在最黑暗的时刻，我们也不能绝望。

Pinyin: Jíshǐ zài zuì hēi'àn de shíkè, wǒmen yě bùnéng juéwàng.

English: Even in the darkest moments, we must not despair.

Analysis: Here, `绝望` is used as a verb, meaning “to lose hope.” This is a common motivational phrase.

Example 5: 她的眼神里充满了绝望。

Pinyin: Tā de yǎnshén lǐ chōngmǎn le juéwàng.

English: Her eyes were full of despair.

Analysis: Another example of `绝望` as a noun. “A look of despair” is often translated as `绝望的眼神` (juéwàng de yǎnshén).

Example 6: 反复的失败让他对未来绝望了。

Pinyin: Fǎnfù de shībài ràng tā duì wèilái juéwàng le.

English: Repeated failures made him despair about the future.

Analysis: The structure `对…绝望` (duì…juéwàng) means “to despair about…” or “to lose hope for…” something specific.

Example 7: 这是一个让人绝望的消息。

Pinyin: Zhè shì yí ge ràng rén juéwàng de xiāoxi.

English: This is a piece of news that makes one despair.

Analysis: Here, `绝望` is used to describe the effect of something (`消息` - news). It functions adjectivally.

Example 8: 贫穷和疾病使这个家庭生活在绝望之中。

Pinyin: Pínqióng hé jíbìng shǐ zhège jiātíng shēnghuó zài juéwàng zhīzhōng.

English: Poverty and illness made this family live in a state of despair.

Analysis: The phrase `在…之中` (zài…zhīzhōng) means “in the midst of,” emphasizing `绝望` as an environment or state.

Example 9: 别放弃！绝望是最大的敌人。

Pinyin: Bié fàngqì! Juéwàng shì zuìdà de dírén.

English: Don't give up! Despair is the greatest enemy.

Analysis: A powerful statement where `绝望` (despair, as a noun) is personified as an enemy to be fought.

Example 10: 看到考试成绩后，他绝望地喊了一声。

Pinyin: Kàndào kǎoshì chéngjì hòu, tā juéwàng de hǎn le yì shēng.

English: After seeing his exam results, he cried out in despair.

Analysis: This shows a physical reaction stemming from the feeling of despair. The adverb `绝望地` modifies the verb `喊` (to cry out).

希望 (xīwàng) - Hope. The direct antonym of `绝望`.

失望 (shīwàng) - Disappointed. A much milder and more common negative feeling related to unfulfilled expectations.

崩溃 (bēngkuì) - To collapse (emotionally); to have a breakdown. This is an action or state that can be caused by `绝望`.

无助 (wúzhù) - Helpless. The feeling of being unable to change one's situation, a key component of `绝望`.

放弃 (fàngqì) - To give up. A decision or action that often stems from a feeling of `绝望`.

心灰意冷 (xīnhuīyìlěng) - A Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “one's heart is like cold ash”; completely disheartened or discouraged. It's a very literary way to describe a state close to `绝望`.

悲观 (bēiguān) - Pessimistic. Describes a general personality trait or worldview, whereas `绝望` is a more acute emotional state.

痛苦 (tòngkǔ) - Pained; suffering. `痛苦` is the pain you feel, while `绝望` is the lack of hope for the pain to end. They often go together.