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Kotomora

悲

grieve, sad, deplore, regret

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ヒ

Kun'yomi

  • かな.しい
  • かな.しむ

Meaning

悲 centers on emotional pain from loss or disappointment: grieving, feeling sad, deploring a situation, or regretting something that cannot be changed.

Most common words using 悲

20 of 73
  • 悲しいかなしい
    N4

    sad; miserable; unhappy; sorrowful

  • 悲しみかなしみ
    N3

    sadness; sorrow; grief

  • 悲劇ひげき
    N3

    tragedy; tragic drama; tragic play

  • 悲惨ひさん
    N1

    disastrous; tragic; miserable; wretched; pitiful; woeful; outrageous

  • 悲鳴ひめい
    N1

    shriek; scream

  • 悲報ひほう

    sad news

  • 慈悲じひ
    N1

    mercy; compassion; clemency; pity; charity; benevolence

  • 悲観ひかん
    N1

    pessimism; (taking a) gloomy view; discouragement; despondency; despair; disappointment

  • 悲しむかなしむ
    N3

    to be sad; to mourn for; to regret

  • 無慈悲むじひ

    merciless; ruthless; pitiless; unfeeling

  • 悲願ひがん

    one's dearest wish

  • 悲痛ひつう

    grief; sorrow; extreme sadness; heartbreak

  • 悲哀ひあい

    sorrow; grief; sadness

  • 悲嘆ひたん

    grief; sorrow; anguish; lamentation

  • 悲壮ひそう

    tragic but brave; heroic; grim

  • 悲恋ひれん

    blighted love; disappointed love

  • 悲運ひうん

    sad fate; tragic doom; ill fate

  • 物悲しいものがなしい

    sad; sorrowful; melancholy; plaintive

  • 悲ひ

    karuna (compassion)

  • 悲愴ひそう

    pathetic; sad; sorrowful; grievous

Explore all words using 悲 →

Study

Etymology

悲 combines 非 (a pictograph of opposing wings, often used for 'not' or 'wrong') with 心 (heart), suggesting a heart that is opposed or not at ease, leading to sadness and grief.

Meaning mnemonic

The top part 非 looks like two wings pulling apart, and the bottom 心 is the heart. Picture a heart being torn in two directions, causing deep sadness and grief.

Reading mnemonic

For ヒ, imagine a sad person sighing 'hee...' as they grieve: the sigh 'hee' cues ヒ, and the heavy heart 心 under the torn wings 非 shows the sadness.