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相済まない (あいすまない) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
i-adjective
very sorry ; remorseful ; apologetic ; contrite
Formal, somewhat old-fashioned apology. Often used in business or official contexts to express deep regret. The 相 prefix adds a sense of mutual or thorough feeling.
I'm terribly sorry, but I'd like you to wait a little longer.
Kanji 相 inter-, mutual, together 済 settle (debt, etc.), relieve (burden), finish Similar words すまない すまない is a more common and less formal apology. 相済まない adds the prefix 相, making it more emphatic and formal.
申もう し 訳わけ ない 申し訳ない is a standard formal apology, while 相済まない sounds more old-fashioned and carries a nuance of deep personal remorse.
Etymology Formed from the prefix 相 (あい, mutual/thorough) and 済まない (すまない, sorry). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely developed as an intensified form of apology.
