plaintive tone; mournful melody; sad strain
Refers to a sorrowful or plaintive quality in music, voice, or literary tone. Often used in descriptions of songs, poems, or performances.
Her singing voice carried a mournful tone.
The plaintive melody of this piece touches the heart.
Compound of 哀 (sorrow, grief) and 調 (tone, melody). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination directly conveys the meaning of a sorrowful tone.