惜
惜·regret, spare
- On-yomi
- セキ
- Kun-yomi
- お(しい)お(しむ)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 惜しい | おしい | regrettable, too good to waste |
| 惜しむ | おしむ | to begrudge, value highly |
| 惜敗 | せきはい | a narrow defeat |
| 惜別 | せきべつ | reluctance to part |
Example sentences
あと一点で優勝だった。本当に惜しい。
あといってんでゆうしょうだった。ほんとうにおしい。
One more point and we'd have won. Such a shame.
彼は努力を惜しまない人だ。
かれはどりょくをおしまないひとだ。
He is someone who spares no effort.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Writing 借しい for 惜しい.
- 惜しい means 'so close' or 'a waste', not 'sad' — 悲しい is different.
Memory aid
Picture it
The heart radical 忄 beside 昔 (the past) — the pang the heart feels over something now gone.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 惜 mean?