One word ideas

one word ideas for when you’re feeling stuck

A
aeipathy (n.) - an enduring and consuming passion
aleatory (n.) - relying on chance or an uncontrolled element in the details of life or in the creation of art
alharaca (spanish, n.) - an extraordinary or violent emotional reaction to a small issue
anacampserote (n.) - something that can bring back a lost love
antiscians (n.) - people who live on opposite sides the world, “whose shadows at noon are cast in opposite directions”
áoyè // 熬夜 (chinese, n.) - to pull an all-nighter  
appetence (n.) - an eager desire, an instinctive inclination; an attraction or a natural bond
aranyhíd (hungarian, n) - “the golden bridge”; the reflection of the sun as it shines on water
aspectabund (adj.) - letting or being able to let expressive emotion show easily through one’s face and eyes
asterismos (n.) - “marking with stars”; a word that gives weight or draws attention to the words that follow
aswium // 아쉬움 (korean, n.) - the mingled feeling of disappointment, frustration, and regret that results from an unsatisfactory situation
atermoiements (french, n.) - distractions or hesitations leading to procrastination
avos’ // авось (russian, n.) - blind trust in sheer luck

B
balter (v.) - to dance artlessly, without particular grace or skill but usually with enjoyment
basorexia (n.) - the overwhelming desire to kiss
bilita mpash (bantu, n.) - the opposite of a nightmare; not merely a good dream, but a blissful state where all is forgiven and forgotten
brontide (n.) - the low rumble of distant thunder
brumous (adj.) - of grey skies and winter days; filled with heavy clouds or fog
b’shirt // באשַערט (yiddish, n.) - “destiny”; referring to the seeking of a person who will complement you and whom you will complement perfectly

C
cafuné (portuguese, n.) - the act of tenderly running one’s fingers through someone’s hair
caim (scottish, n.) - an invisible circle of protection, drawn around the body with the hand, that reminds you that you are safe and loved, even in the darkest times
casuistry (n.) - deceptive or excessively subtle reasoning
chéngquán // 成全 (chinese, v.) - “to become whole”; to selflessly help someone achieve their aim
chimerical (adj.) - created by unchecked imagination; fantastically visionary or highly improbable
commuovere (italian, v.) - to stir, to touch, to move to tears
consenescere (latin, v.) - to grow old and grey together; to stay too long in an occupation; to decay, to lose respect, to fade
convivencia (spanish, n.) - living together, in the sense of living or working closely with other people with whom you share feelings, desires, or a common purpose

D
defenestrate (n.) - to throw someone or something out of a window
dépaysement (n.) - the feeling that comes from not being in one’s home country  
dérive (french, n.) - a spontaneous journey where the traveler leaves their life behind for a time to let the spirit of the landscape and architecture attract and move them
desenrascanço (portuguese, n.) - the improvisation of haphazard but completely sound solutions or plans at the last minute  
dormiveglia (italian, n.) - the space that stretches between sleeping and waking
dustsceawung (n.) - reflection on people, and on the knowledge that all things will turn to dust

E
eigengrau (german, n.) - “intrinsic grey”; the color seen by the eye in perfect darkness
erlebnisse (german, n.) - the experiences, positive or negative, that we feel most deeply, and through which we truly live
estivate (v.) - to be inactive or asleep through the summer’s heat and then come awake and alive in the winter
eudaimonia (n.) - a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous

F
fanaa // فناء (urdu, n.) - destruction of the self; “destroyed in love”
fernweh (german, n.) - feeling homesick for a place you have never been to
finifugal (adj.) - hating endings; of someone who tries to avoid or prolong the final moments of a story, relationship, or some other journey
firgun // פירגון (hebrew, n.) - the act of sharing in or even contributing to someone else’s pleasure or fortune, with a purely generous heart and without jealousy
fisselig (german, n.) - being flustered to the point of incompetence; a temporary state of inexactitude and sloppiness that is elicited by another person’s nagging
fuubutsushi // 風物詩 (japanese, n.) - the feelings, scents, or images that evoke memories or anticipation of a particular season

G
gezellig (dutch, adj.) - cozy, nice, inviting, pleasant, comfortable; connoting time spent with loved ones or togetherness after a long separation
gibel // гибель (russian, n.) - not death, not suicide, but simply ceasing to exist; deteriorating in a way that is painful for others
gibigianna (italian, n.) - the play of light reflected from water or a mirror; a sunlit area
gigil (tagalog, v.) - to grit the teeth in order to resist the urge to pinch or squeeze something extremely cute
gökotta (swedish, n.) - dawn picnic to hear the first birdsong; the act of rising in the early morning to watch the birds or to go outside to appreciate nature
guanxi // 關係 (chinese, n.) - a network of social connections based on mutual trust and the balancing of debts by returning favors so that the relationship’s benefits are shared by all

H
hanyauku (kwangali, n.) - the act of walking on tiptoes across warm sand
hifistelyä (finnish, n.) - something sophisticated, luxurious, and expensive, which is however a very minor improvement and is not needed
hiraeth (welsh, n.) - a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past
honne // 本音 (japanese, n.) - what a person truly believes; the behavior and opinions which are often kept hidden and only displayed with one’s closest confidants
hüzün (turkish, n.) - a melancholy resulting from inadequacy or failure and weighing so heavily that it becomes communal, resigned, and even curiously poetic

I
ichariba chode // 行逢りば兄弟 (japanese, phr.) - “though we meet but once, even by chance, we are friends for life”  
iktsuarpok (inuit, n.) - the frustration of waiting for someone to turn up
ilunga (tshiluba, n.) - a person who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time
incalescent (adj.) - growing hotter or more ardent; set ablaze
induratize (v.) - to make one’s own heart hardened or resistant to someone’s pleas or advances, or to the idea of love

J
jaaneman // जानेमन  // جان ِ من (persian, n.) - “soul of me”; gender-neutral word for sweetheart or darling
jiāoqiǎnyánshēn // 交浅言深 (chinese, v.) - to have a deep and intimate conversation with a stranger
jīlè // 雞肋 (chinese, n.) - things that you have no use for, yet still don’t want to throw away

Kkairos καιρός (greek, n.) - the perfect, delicate, crucial moment; the fleeting rightness of time and place that creates the opportune atmosphere for action, words, or movement
kalopsia (n.) - the delusion of things being more beautiful than they really are
kalsarikännit (finnish, v.) - to get drunk alone at home in your underwear
karōshi // 過労死 (japanese, n.) - death from being overworked
katzenjammer (german, n.) - a bad hangover or a general state of depression or bewilderment
kawaakari // 川明かり (japanese, n.) - the gleam of last light on a river’s surface at dusk; the glow of a river in the darkness      
kilig (tagalog, n.) - the feeling of butterflies in your stomach, usually when something romantic takes place
kintsukuroi // 金繕い (japanese, n.) - “to repair with gold”; the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken
koyaanisqatsi (hopi, n.) - nature out of balance; a way of life so unbalanced that you need a new way
kruschteln (german, v.) - to look for an item in a disorganized pile of stuff

L
la douleur exquise (french, n.) - the heart-wrenching pain of wanting the affection of someone unattainable
l’appel du vide (french, n.) - “the call of the void”; the instinctive urge to jump from high places
latibule (n.) - a hiding place; a place of safety and comfort
lethe (n.) - oblivion or something to make you enter oblivion and forget
lítost (czech, n.) - regret and remorse and repentance; a state of agony and torment; sorrow said to be created by the sudden sight of one’s own misery
livsnjutare (swedish, n.) - one who loves life deeply and lives it to the extreme

M
mamihlapinatapei (yagán, n.) - the wordless, meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to do so
matutine (adj.) - just before the dawn
mbuki-mvuki (bantu, v.) - to shed one’s clothing spontaneously and dance naked in joy
meliorism (n.) - the belief that the world gets better; the belief that humans can improve the world
mellandagarna (swedish, n.) - “the middle days”; the days between christmas and the new year
meraki // μεράκι (greek, n.) - the soul, creativity, or love put into something; the essence of yourself that is put into your work
metanoia (n.) - the journey of changing one’s mind, heart, self, or way of life
mono no aware // 物の哀れ (japanese, n.) - the gentle wistfulness at the transience of things, and the awareness of the sadness of existence
mudita // मुदित (sanskrit, n.) - sympathetic, vicarious joy; happiness rather than resentment at someone else’s well-being or good fortune
mutterseelenallein (german, adj.) - utterly alone, as of refugees torn from their home country

N
nakhes (yiddish, n.) - the satisfaction gained from life’s gifts; proud pleasure, especially in one’s children or grandchildren and their successes, however small
ñáñaras (spanish, n.) - the free-falling sensation in the body caused by an unpleasant situation, fear, anxiety, insecurity, or other intense emotions  
natsukashii // 懐かしい (japanese, adj.) - of some small thing that brings you suddenly and joyously back to fond memories, not with a wistful longing for what’s past, but with an appreciation of the good times
nazlanmak (turkish, v.) - pretending reluctance or indifference when you are actually willing or eager; saying no and meaning yes
nefelibata (spanish, n.) - “cloud-walker”; one who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams, or one who does not obey the conventions of society, literature, or art
nemesism (greek, n.) - frustration, anger, or aggression directed inward, toward oneself and one’s way of living
nemophilist (n.) - a haunter of the woods; one who loves the forest and its beauty and solitude
nepenthe (n.) - something that can make you forget grief or suffering
noceur (french, n.) - one who sleeps late or not at all; one who stays out late to revel or party
noctuary (n.) - the record of a single night’s events, thoughts, or dreams
novaturient (adj.) - desiring or seeking powerful change in one’s life, behavior, or situation
numinous (adj.) - describing an experience that makes you fearful yet fascinated, awed yet attracted; the powerful, personal feeling of being overwhelmed and inspired

O
offing (n.) - the deep, distant stretch of the ocean that is still visible from the land
orenda (iroquoian, n.) - a mystical force present in all people that empowers them to affect the world, or to effect change in their own lives
ostranenie // остранение (russian, n.) - encouraging people to see common things as strange, wild, or unfamiliar; defamiliarizing what is known in order to know it differently or more deeply
oubliette (n.) - a dungeon with a door only in the ceiling; a place you put people to forget about them

P
palinoia (n.) - the obsessive repetition of an act until it is perfect or mastered
pareidolia (n.) - the instinct to seek familiar forms in disordered images like clouds or constellations; the perception of random stimuli as significant
peripeteia // περιπέτεια (greek, n.) - a sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances; the point of no return
pretoogjes (dutch, n.) - the eyes of a chuckling person who is up to benign mischief

Q
quaquaversal (adj.) - moving or happening in every direction instantaneously
querencia (spanish, n.) - a place from which one’s strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self

R
ranço (portuguese, n.) - the inexplicable feeling of disliking someone without a proper reason  rantipole (v.) - to be wild and reckless
rasasvada // रसास्वाद  (sanskrit, n.) - the taste of bliss in the absence of all thoughts
recumbentibus (n.) - the knockout or ending blow, physical or verbal; the final, winning argument
redamancy (n.) - the act of loving the one who loves you; a love returned in full
resfeber (swedish, n.) - the restless race of the traveler’s heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together
retrouvaille (french, n.) - the joy of meeting or finding someone again after a long separation; rediscovery

S
sankofa (akan, n.) - “go back and fetch it”; to look back on the past in order to understand how we became what we are, and move forward to a better future    
sarang // 사랑 (korean, n.) - “i wish to be with you until death”    
saudade (portuguese, n.) - a nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant, or that has been loved and then lost
sciamachy (n.) - a battle against imaginary enemies; fighting your shadow
scintilla (n.) - a tiny, brilliant flash or spark; a small thing; a barely-visible trace
sehnsucht (german, n.) - a yearning for a far, familiar, non-earthly land one can identify as one’s home
serein (french, n.) - the fine, light rain that falls from a clear sky at sunset or in the early hours of night
setsunai // 切ない (japanese, n) - the feeling between bittersweet, painful, and wistful
sillage (french, n.) - the scent that lingers in air, the trail left in water, the impression made in space after something or someone has been and gone
smultronställe (swedish, n.) - a special place discovered, treasured, returned to for solace and relaxation; a personal idyll free from stress or sadness  
soigné (french, adj.) - possessing an aura of sophistication in dress, manner, or design; presented or prepared with an elegance attained through care for the finer details
sophrosyne // σωφροσύνη (greek, n.) - a healthy state of mind, characterized by self-control, moderation, and a deep awareness of one’s true self, and resulting in true happiness
sturmfrei (german, adj.) - the freedom of not being watched by a parent or superior; being alone at a place and having the ability to do what you want
susurrus (n.) - a low, soft sound, as of whispering or muttering or a quiet wind
súton (croatian, n.) - the approach of death or the end of something

T
tacenda (n.) - things better left unsaid; matters to be passed over in silence
tatemae // 建前 (japanese, n.) - what a person pretends to believe; the behavior and opinions one must display to satisfy society’s demandsv.
temerate (v.) - to break a bond or binding promise
toska // тоска (russian, n.) - ache of soul, longing with nothing to long for
tsundoku // 積ん読 (japanese, n.) - buying books and not reading them; letting books pile up unread on shelves or floors or nightstands

U
uitwaaien (dutch, v.) - to take a break to clear one’s head

V
vagary (n.) - an unpredictable instance, a wandering journey; a whimsical, wild, or unusual idea, desire, or action
velleitie (n.) - a wish or powerful desire for something that nonetheless is not or cannot be followed by actions meant to pursue it
venters (scots, n.) - what the wind or tide drives in from the ocean upon a wave
vernorexia (n.) - a romantic mood inspired by spring
videnda (n.) - the things that should be seen or visited, especially if because they mark the character of a person or place
volta // βόλτα (greek, n.) - a leisurely stroll along the main street or the seashore as the sun is setting, to meet and talk with friends and neighbors
vorfreude (german, n.) - the joyful, intense anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures

W
wabi-sabi // 侘寂 (japanese, n) - accepting the natural cycle of growth and decay
wēijī // 危機  (chinese, n.) - crisis or critical moment; from risk 危 and opportunity 機, the idea that there can be a positive result in a wisely handled risk

X
xibipíío (pirahã, adj.) - of experiential liminality; of a being in the boundaries of experience and the act of entering or leaving perception
xuānxiè // 宣泄 (chinese, v.) - “to let accumulated water flow”; to emotionally unburden oneself

Y
ya’aburnee // يقبرني (arabic, phr.) - “you bury me”; wishing for a loved one to outlive you because of how unbearable life would be without them
yakamoz (turkish, n.) - the reflection of the moon as it shines upon the water

Z
zugzwang (german, n.) - a situation where every possible move or decision is a bad one, or one that will result in damage or loss