憐
pity, have mercy, sympathise, compassion
Readings
On'yomi
- レン
Kun'yomi
- あわ.れむ
- あわ.れ
Meaning
憐 centers on a heartfelt response to suffering: feeling pity, showing mercy, sympathizing, or acting with compassion.
Most common words using 憐
- 可憐かれん
sweet (e.g. young girls, flowers blooming); touchingly lovely; cute
- 憐憫れんびん
pity; compassion; mercy
- 可憐しいいじらしい
lovable; sweet; charming
- 同病相憐れむどうびょうあいあわれむ
fellow sufferers pity each other
- 哀憐あいれん
pity; compassion
- 愛憐あいれん
sympathy
- 憐察れんさつ
pity; mercy; compassion
- 憐情れんじょう
compassion; pity
- 相憐れむあいあわれむ
to pity (one another); to commiserate
- 紅顔可憐こうがんかれん
youthful and endearing; rosy-cheeked and sweet
- 純情可憐じゅんじょうかれん
pure of heart and pretty
- 純真可憐じゅんしんかれん
pure of heart and beautiful; innocent and beautiful
- 自己憐憫じこれんびん
self-pity
Study
Etymology
憐 combines 忄 (heart/mind) with 粦, which likely contributes the sound レン and may have originally suggested a sense of pity or compassion.
Meaning mnemonic
The heart radical 忄 beside 粦 suggests a heart moved by the sight of suffering. Picture a compassionate heart reaching out to someone in need.
Reading mnemonic
For レン, imagine a compassionate person lending a hand: lend -> レン, and the heart 忄 reaches out to help.