Nuance Dictionary / Emptiness

허탈하다 heo-tal-ha-da

Deflated and empty, a letdown after anticipation collapses

What does 허탈하다 mean?

허탈하다 (heo-tal-ha-da) means: Deflated and empty, a letdown after anticipation collapses.

The specific emptiness of energy draining out all at once — training for months for a race that then gets cancelled the morning of. All the built-up momentum has nowhere to go.

How it's actually used

  • 로또 번호가 하나 차이로 다 어긋난 걸 봤을 때의 그 허탈함이란...
    rotto beonhoga hana chairio da eogeunnan geol bwasseul ttaegeu heotalhamiran...
    That deflated, empty feeling when you see all your Lotto numbers missed by just one digit...
    💡 Captures the sudden drainage of energy from a near-miss or anticlimax.
  • 면접장에서 머리가 하얘져서 아무 말도 못 하고 나오니까 너무 허탈하다.
    myeonjeopjangseo meoriga hayaejyeoseo amu maldo mot hago naonikka neomu heotalhada.
    My mind went blank in the interview and I came out without saying anything, I just feel completely deflated.
    💡 Used when expectations collapse and you feel utterly drained.
  • 지갑을 잃어버렸다는 사실을 깨달은 순간 너무 허탈해서 웃음밖에 안 나왔다.
    jigabeul ilh-eobeoryeotdaneun sasileul kkaedaleun sungan neomu heotalhaeseo useumbakke an nawatda.
    The moment I realized I lost my wallet, I felt so deflated and drained that I could only laugh.
    💡 Describes sudden shock and energy loss.

Related words in Emptiness

텅 비다 teong bi-da헛헛하다 heo-teo-ta-da무상하다 mu-sang-ha-da상실감 sang-sil-gam허허롭다 heo-heo-rop-da

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