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〜損ねる・〜損なう

miss (the chance to), fail to

Verb ます-stem + 損ねる / 損なう

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損ねる and 損なう after a ます-stem mean missing the chance to do something, or failing to do it properly: 寝坊して、電車に乗り損ねた, "I overslept and missed the train".

Common combinations: 乗り損ねる (miss a train or bus), 食べ損ねる (miss a meal), 見損なう (miss seeing something), 言い損ねる (not get round to saying). There's usually a sense of regret.

見損なう also means "misjudge someone": 君を見損なったよ, "I thought better of you" or "I've lost respect for you". It's the opposite of 見直す.

損ねる is more common in speech; 損なう is a little more formal. Both come from 損, "loss".

Examples

  • 寝坊ねぼうして、電車でんしゃに乗のり損そこねた。

    I overslept and missed the train.

  • 忙いそがしくて、昼ひるご飯はんを食たべ損そこねた。

    I was so busy that I missed lunch.

  • 話題わだいの映画えいがを見損みそこなった。

    I missed the film everyone's talking about.

  • 大事だいじなことを言いい損そこねた。

    I didn't get round to saying something important.

  • 君きみを見損みそこなったよ。

    I thought better of you.

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