Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
後悔 (こうかい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Conjugation 後悔する · noun or participle which takes 'suru'
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 後こう 悔かい する 後こう 悔かい しない Polite 後こう 悔かい します 後こう 悔かい しません Past polite 後こう 悔かい しました 後こう 悔かい しませんでした Past 後こう 悔かい した 後こう 悔かい しなかった Te-form 後こう 悔かい して 後こう 悔かい しないで Desire 後こう 悔かい したい 後こう 悔かい したくない Potential 後こう 悔かい できる 後こう 悔かい できない Passive 後こう 悔かい される 後こう 悔かい されない Causative 後こう 悔かい させる 後こう 悔かい させない Causative passive 後こう 悔かい させられる 後こう 悔かい させられない Volitional 後こう 悔かい しよう Polite volitional 後こう 悔かい しましょう Imperative 後こう 悔かい しろ 後こう 悔かい するな Conditional 後こう 悔かい すれば 後こう 悔かい しなければ Tara conditional 後こう 悔かい したら 後こう 悔かい しなかったら
Report an issue with this page
あの 時とき 、 正しょう 直じき に 話はな せ ば よかっ た と 後こう 悔かい し て いる 。
I regret not having spoken honestly at that time.
Usage patterns 〈 事こと 〉 を 後こう 悔かい する to regret (having done) something
He regrets having told a lie.
〜 して 後こう 悔かい する to do something and then regret it
I spent all my money and regretted it.
後こう 悔かい の 念ねん に 駆か られる to be overcome by a feeling of regret
She was suddenly overcome by a wave of regret.
今いま さら 後こう 悔かい しても 遅おそ い it's too late to regret it now
It's too late to regret it now.
Expressions 後こう 悔かい 先さき に 立た たず it's no use crying over spilt milk; regret won't fix the past Related words· 12 反省 focuses on constructive self-reflection about a mistake, while 後悔 is the raw emotional pain of wishing you had done otherwise.
悔やむ is the verb form used for personal, often heartfelt regret (e.g. over a loss), while 後悔 is the noun/する-verb used more broadly for regretting any decision.
未練 describes lingering attachment or reluctance to let something go, whereas 後悔 is regret specifically about a past action or choice.
残念 is a milder disappointment often about an outcome beyond your control, while 後悔 implies self-blame for your own decision.
Show 8 more 後悔 is a general term for regretting one's own past actions, while 無念 stresses frustration at an unwanted or unfair outcome.
後悔 is the common everyday noun/する-verb for regret, while 悔い is a more formal, literary word often found in fixed expressions like 悔いが残る.
後悔 is regret over one's own past actions, while 恨み (sense 2, 憾み) is a more formal, often impersonal regret about a situation or outcome.
Don't confuse with 後悔 (also read こうかい) means 'regret' and is unrelated in meaning to 更改, which means 'renewal' or 'revision'; the two are easy to confuse only because they sound identical.
後悔 (regret) is pronounced identically to 公開 (making public) but has a completely unrelated meaning, so context is essential to tell them apart.
後悔 means regret and is unrelated in meaning to 公海, but the two are easy to mix up by sound alone.
Etymology 後 (after, later) + 悔 (regret, repent). The compound literally means 'after-regret', i.e., regret felt after an action or event.
後悔 is the common, everyday word for regret, while 痛恨 is a stronger, more formal term used for profound or public regret.
後悔する is the common, everyday word for feeling regret, while 悔いる is more literary and carries a heavier, introspective tone.
後悔 is regret over what happened or what one did, whereas 自責 emphasizes holding oneself responsible and reproaching oneself for it.
後悔 is regret over a specific action or choice one blames oneself for, whereas 心残り is a wistful feeling about something left unfinished, without self-blame.
後悔する means to regret a past decision or action one made, while 惜しむ focuses on lamenting a loss, parting, or missed chance.