哀あわれむ

あ

わ

れ

む

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-mu), transitive verb

pity; feel sympathy for; have mercy on

Expresses compassion or pity toward someone's misfortune or suffering. Often used in literary or formal contexts.

彼かれは貧まずしい人ひと々びとを哀あわれんで、寄き付ふをした。
He pitied the poor people and made a donation.
その話はなしを聞きいて

、

誰だれ

も

が

彼かの

女じょ

を

哀あわ

れん

だ

。

Hearing that story, everyone felt sympathy for her.

2

godan verb (-mu), transitive verb

enjoy the beauty of; appreciate; admire

poetical term

Only when written 哀れむ

Poetic use, restricted to the kanji spelling 哀れむ. Expresses a refined appreciation of beauty, often tinged with a sense of pathos or mono no aware.

秋あきの夕ゆう暮ぐれを哀あわれむ心こころは、古ふるくから和わ歌かに詠よまれてきた。
The heart that appreciates the beauty of an autumn evening has been sung in waka since ancient times.

Written forms

哀あわれむUsage33%
Standard kanji spelling; also used for the poetic sense.
憐あわれむUsage50%
Alternate kanji spelling; less common but still encountered.
あわれむUsage15%
憫あわれむUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Rare search-only kanji form.
愍あわれむUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Rare search-only kanji form.

Kanji

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

Similar words

哀あわれ
哀れ is the noun/adjective form meaning 'pity', 'sorrow', or 'pathos'. 哀れむ is the verb form meaning 'to feel pity' or 'to appreciate beauty'.
同どう情じょうする
同情する is a more common and neutral word for 'to sympathize'. 哀れむ carries a slightly more literary or emotional nuance of pity.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective 哀れ (あわれ, 'pitiful', 'sorrowful') with the verbalizing suffix む. The poetic sense of appreciating beauty is an extension of the original meaning, reflecting the aesthetic concept of mono no aware.

pity, mercy, compassion