怅然若失 lost and dejected
Explanation
形容因失去某种东西或某种境况而感到失落、沮丧的心情。
Describes the feeling of loss and depression caused by losing something or a certain situation.
Origin Story
晋代名士殷仲堪，文才出众，自负才华横溢。一日，他兴冲冲地将自己创作的一篇文章拿给王恭看，满心期待王恭会赞赏他的文采。王恭看后，却没有立即发表评论，而是用一块精美的玉器压着文章。殷仲堪等了许久，也不见王恭有反应，心中忐忑不安，最后怅然若失地离开了。他本以为自己的作品会得到王恭的赞誉，结果却落得如此冷遇，这让他感到沮丧和失落，犹如失去珍宝一般。这便是“怅然若失”的生动写照，他因期待落空而心境失落，如失去什么一般，心情沉重。
Yin Zhongkan, a renowned scholar from the Jin Dynasty, was known for his exceptional literary talent and self-confidence. One day, he excitedly showed Wang Gong, another well-known scholar, an essay he had written, anticipating praise for his literary skills. Wang Gong, after reading it, however, offered no immediate comment but placed a beautiful jade piece on top of the essay. Yin Zhongkan waited for a long time but received no response, his heart filled with unease. Finally, he left with a feeling of loss and disappointment. He had expected acclaim for his work, but instead met with indifference, leaving him dejected and disheartened, as if he had lost a precious treasure. This perfectly illustrates the meaning of "怅然若失" – his unfulfilled expectations left him feeling a profound sense of loss.
Usage
常用来形容因失去某种东西或某种境况而感到失落、沮丧的心情。
Often used to describe the feeling of loss and depression caused by losing something or a certain situation.
Examples
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他考试失利，怅然若失，整天唉声叹气。
ta kaoshi shili, changranruoshi, zhengtian aisheng tanqi. ting dao zhege huai xiaoxi, ta changranruoshi, ban tian shuochubuhualaile
He failed the exam and was dejected, sighing all day long.
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听到这个坏消息，他怅然若失，半天说不出话来。
Upon hearing the bad news, he was lost in thought, unable to speak for a long time.