哀
哀·sorrow, pity
- On-yomi
- アイ
- Kun-yomi
- あわ(れ)あわ(れむ)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 悲哀 | ひあい | sorrow, pathos |
| 哀れ | あわれ | pitiful, wretched |
| 哀れむ | あわれむ | to pity, feel compassion for |
| 哀愁 | あいしゅう | melancholy, wistfulness |
Example sentences
雨の中に立つ彼の姿は哀れだった。
あめのなかにたつかれのすがたはあわれだった。
He looked pitiful standing there in the rain.
この曲には哀愁が漂っている。
このきょくにはあいしゅうがただよっている。
A wistful sadness drifts through this piece.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 哀愁 with the kun reading — in compounds 哀 is アイ.
- 哀れ can mean both 'pitiful' and, in classical use, 'moving' — context decides.
Memory aid
Picture it
A mouth 口 wrapped inside a garment 衣 — a cry muffled in the folds of one's clothes.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 哀 mean?