憂うき

pre-noun adjectival, noun

unhappy; sad; miserable; gloomy

Classical pre-noun adjectival form (rentaishi) used in literary or formal contexts. Often appears in set phrases like 憂き世 (the wretched world) or 憂き目 (bitter experience).

See also: 憂い (うい)

• 憂うき世よのならいとは言いえ、つらいことばかりだ。

  Though it is said to be the way of this wretched world, it's nothing but hardship.

• 彼かれは憂うき目めを見みた後あと、すっかり人ひとが変かわった。

  After experiencing bitter misfortune, he became a completely different person.