ぎゃふん

Japanese

Etymology

Probably a compound of ぎゃ (gya, shortened form of ぎゃあ (gyā): expression of surprise, frustration, etc.; compare English gah) +‎ ふん (fun, “hm”, expression of hesitation, uncertainty, or frustration; compare English hm, hmm, hmph).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ぎゃふん [gyàfúꜜǹ] (Nakadaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ɡʲa̠ɸɯ̟̃ɴ]

Adverb

ぎゃふん • (gyafun) 

1. speechlessly, in a tongue-tied fashion, in a deflated or defeated manner

Usage notes

Used with the adverbial particle と (to).

Implies an argument or other kind of verbal conflict, in which the term ぎゃふん (gyafun) describes the loser.

• 彼(かれ)の論(ろん)理(り)に負(ま)けてぎゃふんとなった。

  Kare no ronri ni makete gyafun to natta.

  Losing to his logic, I felt deflated / became tongue-tied.

Note that this is an adverb in Japanese, even though this term often correlates to other parts of speech in translation.

References

• Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN