詫わび

わ

び

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun

apology

A formal or sincere apology; often used with the honorific prefix お (お詫び) in polite contexts.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に詫わびを言いうto say an apology to someone
彼かれは先せん生せいに詫わびを言いった。
He apologized to his teacher.
詫わびの言こと葉ばを述のべるto give words of apology
社しゃ長ちょうは記き者しゃ会かい見けんで詫わびの言こと葉ばを述のべた。
The president gave a statement of apology at the press conference.
詫わびを受うけ入いれるto accept an apology
彼かの女じょは彼かれの詫わびを受うけ入いれなかった。
She didn't accept his apology.
〈相あい手て〉に詫わびを求もとめるto demand an apology from someone
被ひ害がい者しゃは加か害がい者しゃに詫わびを求もとめた。
The victim demanded an apology from the perpetrator.

Expressions

詫わびを入いれるapologize; make an apology

Kanji

詫apologize

Related words

謝しゃ罪ざいN1
謝罪 is a formal, often public act of apologizing, while 詫び leans toward a personal, sincere expression of regret.

Politeness

お詫わびN2
詫び is the plain, less polite form of the same word, while お詫び adds the honorific prefix お to make it suitable for formal or customer-facing apologies.

Don't confuse with

侘わび
詫び (an apology) and 侘び (the aesthetic of rustic simplicity in tea ceremony) share the identical reading わび but are completely unrelated in meaning.
償つぐない
詫び is simply an apology in words, while 償い involves an actual act, payment, or sacrifice made to make up for the wrong.

Word family

お詫わびN2
apology
詫わびるN2
apologize; make an apology
詫わび石いし
apologems; compensation currency
詫わび言ごと
apology; words of apology
詫わび入いる
apologize sincerely; offer a heartfelt apology

Written forms

詫わびUsage66%
Standard kanji spelling; the polite prefix お is often added (お詫び).
わびUsage34%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 詫びる (わびる, to apologize). The noun form 詫び is used in formal apologies, often with the honorific prefix お.

詫わび

わ

び