Sometimes English cannot grasp the spiritual meaning of certain words from other cultural languages, so words often end up lost in translation. There may be a few close English translations, but it will never come close to the true meaning. Here are a few sentimental foreign words with no English equivalent:
生きがい
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Ikigai (Japanese, noun)
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A reason to live; what gets you up in the morning; a reason for being.
Saudade
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/souˈdädə/ (Portuguese, noun)
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“The presence of absence”; a deep yearning for someone or something now distant or absent; longing for a memory you can never experience again.
木漏れ日
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Komorebi (Japanese, noun)
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“Sunbeam leaves”; the sunlight that passes through the leaves of trees.
سمر
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Samar (Arabic, verb)
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To have a pleasant conversation with a companion in the evening or night.
тоска
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Toska /ˈtō-skə/ (Russian, noun)
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“A sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause”; a longing for something and feeling of nostalgia.”
Vladimir Nabokov, a Russian-American novelist, explained the meaning of “Toska” better than anyone else,"No single word in English renders all the shades of toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, mental throes, yearning. In particular cases it may be the desire for somebody of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest level it grades into ennui, boredom.”
Vladimir Nabokov, a Russian-American novelist, explained the meaning of “Toska” better than anyone else,"No single word in English renders all the shades of toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, mental throes, yearning. In particular cases it may be the desire for somebody of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest level it grades into ennui, boredom.”
幽玄
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Yūgen (Japanese, noun)
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A hidden, mysterious beauty subtly found in nature and art that triggers a deep emotional response and a profound awareness of the universe.
Cwtch
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/kʊtʃ/ (Welsh, noun)
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A strong affectionate hug or cuddle; a safe welcoming place.
Gumusservi
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/gU-mU-'sAr-vE/ (Turkish, noun)
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The glistening reflection the moon makes on water.
森林浴
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Shinrinyoku (Japanese, noun)
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“Forest bathing”; the therapeutic healing a visit to the forest can provide to improve one’s health.
Kvell
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/k(ə)vel/ (Yiddish, verb)
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To feel happy and proud, bursting with pride and joy in someone else's successes.
Waldeinsamkeit
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/VALD-eye-n-zam-kite/ (German, noun)
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“Forest solitude”; the feeling of being alone in the woods.
加油
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Jiā Yóu (Chinese, verb)
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Literally “add oil to it”. An unusual phrase used to encourage others to keep their spirits up.