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遺憾 (いかん, ikan) Japanese meaning: regrettable | Kotomora

遺い憾かん

い

か

ん

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

regrettable; unfortunate; deplorable

Formal expression of regret or dissatisfaction, often used in official statements, apologies, or diplomatic language. Carries a weighty, serious tone.

今こん回かいの

決けっ

定てい

は

極きわ

めて

遺い

憾かん

です

。

This decision is extremely regrettable.

政せい府ふは遺い憾かんの意いを表ひょう明めいした。

The government expressed its regret.

Usage patterns

遺い憾かんの意いを表ひょう明めいするto formally express regret
首しゅ相しょうはその発はつ言げんについて遺い憾かんの意いを表ひょう明めいした。
The prime minister formally expressed regret over the remark.
〈事こと〉を遺い憾かんに思おもうto regard something as regrettable
会かい社しゃは事じ故こを非ひ常じょうに遺い憾かんに思おもっております。
The company regards the accident as extremely regrettable.
遺い憾かんな結けっ果かに終おわるto end in a regrettable outcome
交こう渉しょうは遺い憾かんな結けっ果かに終おわった。
The negotiations ended in a regrettable outcome.

Expressions

遺い憾かんの意いregret; disappointment
遺い憾かんながらunfortunately; I regret to say; I'm sorry to say
遺い憾かんに堪たえないdeeply regrettable; cannot help but regret

Kanji

遺bequeath, leave behind, reserve
憾remorse, regret, be sorry

Related words

残ざん念ねんN5
残念 is the everyday word for feeling sorry or disappointed, while 遺憾 is a stiff, formal term used in official statements and apologies.
無む念ねんN1
無念 expresses deep, personal chagrin or regret (often over a failure or loss), whereas 遺憾 is a detached, formal expression used in official contexts.
心しん外がい
心外 conveys being hurt or offended by unfair treatment, while 遺憾 simply states formal regret without that personal indignation.
不ふ本ほん意いN1
遺憾 is a formal word for regret often used in official statements, while 不本意 more specifically points to an action or result being contrary to one's own intentions.
嘆なげかわしい
遺憾 is a formal, often official expression of regret (used in apologies and statements), while 嘆かわしい expresses moral disapproval of a state of affairs.

Don't confuse with

威い厳げん
遺憾 (いかん, 'regrettable') and 威厳 (いげん, 'dignity') sound alike but have completely unrelated meanings.
如何いかん
遺憾 (いかん) means 'regret' and is pronounced identically to 如何 (いかん), but the two words are written differently and have unrelated meanings.

Word family

遺い憾かんなく
fully; satisfactorily; amply; without leaving anything to be desired
遺い憾かん千せん万ばん
extremely regrettable; deeply unfortunate

Written forms

遺い憾かんUsage99%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency in news and formal contexts.
イカンUsage1%

Etymology

Sino-Japanese compound of 遺 (leave behind, bequeath) and 憾 (regret, resentment). The combination conveys a sense of lingering regret or dissatisfaction.