哀あわれみ

あ

わ

れ

み

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

A feeling of sympathy and sorrow for someone's suffering, often with a nuance of mercy or tenderness. Can be used as a noun or with の to modify another noun.

彼かれは哀あわれみの目めで私わたしを見みた。
He looked at me with pity in his eyes.
哀あわれみをかけるのは相あい手てのためにならないこともある。
Showing pity can sometimes not be in the other person's best interest.

See all 5 example sentences ›

Kanji

哀pathetic, grief, sorrow
憐pity, have mercy, sympathise
憫anxiety, mercy
愍pity, mercy, compassion

Related words

同どう情じょうN1
哀れみ is a stronger, more emotional pity that can carry a nuance of looking down on the person, whereas 同情 is more neutral and usable in formal contexts.
慈じ悲ひN1
哀れみ focuses on pity for someone weak or suffering, whereas 慈悲 expresses a broader, principled compassion, often religious in tone.

Written forms

哀あわれみUsage55%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
あわれみUsage40%
憐あわれみUsage6%
Alternate kanji spelling; also encountered but less common than 哀れみ.
憫あわれみ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; not recommended for learners.
愍あわれみ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; not recommended for learners.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective 哀れ (あわれ, 'pitiful, touching') with the nominalizing suffix み, which turns adjectives into nouns expressing a quality or state.