# disenchanted



## Mavvie

Hello to everyone.
I'm about to get a tattoo of the word "Disenchanted" and I really need to know the right translation for that.
Thank you in advance


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## karlalou

Hi,

If you mean enlightenment, 悟り（さとり _satori _[sah-toh-rih]） should be the word for it. We also say 悟りの境地（きょうち [-noh-kyou-chi]） meaning 'enlightened state'. You can use only the _kanji _悟, and let it be read as さとり if you prefer that way, because this is an art form.

覚醒（かくせい [kah-koo-say]） means 'alert mind'. I feel it's kind of easy to be associated with 覚醒剤 (awakening drug), the illegal drugs, but what the Google image search shows are mostly of _anime_, the Japanese animation pictures or comics.


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## Mavvie

karlalou said:


> Hi,
> 
> If you mean enlightenment, 悟り（さとり _satori _[sah-toh-rih]） should be the word for it. We also say 悟りの境地（きょうち [-noh-kyou-chi]） meaning 'enlightened state'. You can use only the _kanji _悟, and let it be read as さとり if you prefer that way, because this is an art form.
> 
> 覚醒（かくせい [kah-koo-say]） means 'alert mind'. I feel it's kind of easy to be associated with 覚醒剤 (awakening drug), the illegal drugs, but what the Google image search shows are mostly of anime, the Japanese animation pictures or comics.



Hi, thank you very much for the answer! But I think we mean different things.
The meaning of the word DISENCHANTED is "without illusions", also referred as "someone who used to trust people but realized he shouldn't have, he stopped having illusions on people (and feelings)", get free from false illusions or belief. Somehow like an awakening. In this way it could also mean " getting free from an enchantment" like if some1 put a spell on you and you got free from that. 
"DISENCHANTED" is a song by my favourite band but also I suffered a lot because of a person who made me think she were what, in the end, she was not.....
I Hope you understand what I meant and can give me an answer.
Thanks again


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## karlalou

I understand you. 悟り includes all those you say. It says you've gotten the truth.

A dictionary gives 幻滅（げんめつ） as one of the meaning of disenchanted, though this word is totally negative. This word literally says disillusioned. It says you are very disappointed.


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## Mavvie

karlalou said:


> I understand you. 悟り includes all those you say. It says you've gotten the truth.
> 
> A dictionary gives 幻滅（げんめつ） as one of the meaning of disenchanted, though this word is totally negative. This word literally says disillusioned. It says you are very disappointed.



Thank you very much man, I appreciate it.
Just one more thing coz I'm curious: before finding this forum I tried "Google Translate"  and the trandlation was "Genmetsu Shimashita". What does that really mean?


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## Alkanna

幻滅　=　disillusion /disenchantment
幻滅 しました=　I was disillusioned/ disenchanted.


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## karlalou

Right.
幻 means illusion
滅 means demolition or demolishing
and we use 幻滅 to mean a total disappointment.

I'd like to recommend to have 悟り or 悟 for a permanent body art.


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## Mavvie

karlalou said:


> Right.
> 幻 means illusion
> 滅 means demolition or demolishing
> and we use 幻滅 to mean a total disappointment.
> 
> I'd like to recommend to have 悟り or 悟 for a permanent body art.



Thank you guys


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## kamot

Yes, 悟(り) is one of good solution.
But I point out one thing.
"悟" on your back or breast might remind some Japanese of famous anime hero.


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## frequency

kamot said:


> "悟" on your back or breast might remind some Japanese of famous anime hero.



Kamot, I think I need to tell you that he's internationally famous

Mavvie, if you like the kanji 悟, we're happy. But if you want to know alternatives, post us back. I humbly suggest you not to add a circle around it.


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## Mavvie

frequency said:


> Kamot, I think I need to tell you that he's internationally famous
> 
> Mavvie, if you like the kanji 悟, we're happy. But if you want to know alternatives, post us back. I humbly suggest you not to add a circle around it.



Ahahah, no, not gonna put a circle around it!
Anyway, I think I changed my mind about writing it in Japanese coz I'm gonna put the tattoo on my forearm, horizontal, so I need it to be around 7-10 inches long. A single kanji would definitely be too small/short....
What do you suggest? Maybe hiragana or katakana? Would it be a "longer word"?
In the beginning I wanted to simply get the word " Disenchanted" in english but I don't like the fact that every1 can read it and that's why I thought about writing it in Japanese.

P.S. why Goku has that kanji on his suit? Does it mean something else too?


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## frequency

Thank you for your feedback! Oh sorry, I'm not good at kanji very much; give me a time. And I want to hear good opinions from other members.

みなさん、いい案ありますか？？ Please give him wonderful kanji!

Edit: disenchanted


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## kamot

How about 開眼(かいがん/かいげん)? Is two letter kanji word also too short?
開: open
眼: eye(s)

Literally, it means eye-opening, but it also means enlightenment.



Mavvie said:


> P.S. why Goku has that kanji on his suit? Does it mean something else too?


Because the first letter(Kanji) of his name is "悟". His name is spelled "悟空"(ごくう) in Kanji.


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## frequency

Yes, 開眼 and 悟り mean religious awakening, I suppose, not always though.
The entry on the OALD page suggests me 無欲, disinterest, and 無我, egolessness. I have the phrase 無私無欲 which means self-sacrifice especially in your charity activity. This one may work to show you like a pure angel.

A bit risky, though we have the phrase 最終解脱, Saishugedatsu.  Why risky? The phrase was well used by members of Aum Shinrikyo, the notorious cult group. But this phrase itself isn't offensive or morally wrong; it's rather really cool and jokey at the same time due to our tendency to mock a social problem. My favourite photojournalist said "I need no money or woman. I've reached Saishugedatsu." in the midst of fierce air attacks during Iraq War. Don't complain to me if this phrase keeps women away from you.

Although they're short, 開眼 and 無我 would be the most neutral.


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## kamot

disenchanted
Here's a definition by Longman.
I come to think "幻滅" is closer than other choices so far. Yes, "幻滅" is negative, but "disenchanted" itself is also negative, isn't it?

If you want to choose affirmative words, 悟り, 開眼, 無我 are good solutions. But these words sound more or less religious (mainly from Buddhism).


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## Mavvie

kamot said:


> disenchanted
> Here's a definition by Longman.
> I come to think "幻滅" is closer than other choices so far. Yes, "幻滅" is negative, but "disenchanted" itself is also negative, isn't it?



Yes, it is a negative word, and I mean it in a negative way, like "I won't trust ppl anymore". At the same time, tho, it should also be somehow positive like "You've been hurt by ppl, have the strenght not to be enchanted anymore by them!" like it should give me the force to carry on everytime I read it

LONGMAN's definition is perfect:
dis‧en‧chant‧ed

*disappointed with someone or something, and no longer believing that they are good [= disillusioned]*


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## karlalou

There's many men named 悟（さとる） in Japan , and they are not particularly associated with the Chinese historic character, 孫悟空. The letter 悟 is only as Buddhist as most of other Japanese names or words. I don't see any problem with this letter.

You can incorporate it into a nice design, and make it fit to your favored size.
For 悟り, maybe I should mention that visually the _hiragana _always has a feminine feel to it.
Do some Google image search. I saw one just the letter 悟 on a man's ankle, another 悟り in cursive style on the back of a woman's neck.

The word 悟り（さとり） is a simple word even a seven-year-old would know, though they are too little to know the _kanji _letter. It's more like spiritual than religious. By making it longer in that direction, it becomes like something came from a Buddhist sutra.

I think Wiktionary would help you to see the meanings of each kanji letter.
Hope you'll decide on what you really like to have for the rest of your life.


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## frequency

Mavvie said:


> *disappointed with someone or something, and no longer believing that they are good [= disillusioned]*


Oh sorry! I didn't think you wanted such a negative word, and the Goku's suit did something to me


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## Mavvie

I had the 幻滅 tattoo on my forearm a week ago. Looks really good. Thank you guys for the help


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## frequency

Mavvie said:


> I had the 幻滅 tattoo on my forearm a week ago. Looks really good. Thank you guys for the help


We're very happy to know you've got the tattoo successfully. Visit us anytime again!


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