いたわしい

い

た

わ

し

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

heartrending; pitiful; saddening

usually written using kana alone

Describes a situation or sight that evokes deep pity or sorrow, often with a sense of helplessness. Used in literary or emotional contexts.

捨すてられた子こ犬いぬの姿すがたがいたわしい。
The sight of the abandoned puppy is heartrending.

彼かの女じょのいたわしい境きょう遇ぐうに涙なみだが出でた。

I shed tears at her pitiful circumstances.

Written forms

いたわしいUsage100%
It is usually written in kana. The kana spelling is the most common and learner-friendly form.
労いたわしい
Kanji form using 労 (labor, care). Rarely used in modern writing; the kana form is strongly preferred.

Kanji

労labor, thank for, reward for

Similar words

かわいそう
かわいそう is the common, everyday word for 'pitiful' or 'poor thing'. いたわしい is more literary and emotionally intense, often used for deeply moving, sorrowful scenes.
哀あわれ
哀れ also means 'pitiful' or 'miserable', but can carry a nuance of contempt or wretchedness. いたわしい focuses more on the observer's emotional pain and compassion.

Etymology

Derived from the verb いたわる (to care for, to console) with the adjectival suffix しい, expressing a state that evokes care or pity. The kanji 労 is associated with labor and care, but the word is now predominantly written in kana.