boo-hoo; boo-hoo-hoo
試験結果はトホホだった。
The exam results were dismal.
旅行中はトホホな出来事ばかり続いた。
Only dismal things kept happening during the trip.
頑張って作ったケーキがトホホな姿になった。
The cake I worked so hard on ended up looking pathetic.