自暴自棄

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 自暴自棄(じぼうじき) describes giving up on oneself and becoming reckless about one's life or conduct.
• Basic usage: It warns against giving up on oneself after a failure.
  • 失敗しても自暴自棄になってはいけない。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• More than ordinary disappointment
  • 落ち込む(おちこむ) means to feel down. 自暴自棄になる emphasizes abandoning concern for oneself and acting recklessly.
• A state and a way of life
  • 自暴自棄になる describes falling into that state, while 自暴自棄な生活 describes a way of life marked by such self-abandonment.