残念
ざんねん
regrettable, unfortunate
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
それは本当に残念です。
それはほんとうにざんねんです。
That's really too bad.
来られなくて残念です。
こられなくてざんねんです。
It's a pity that you can't come.
残念ながら、今回は参加できません。
ざんねんながら、こんかいはさんかできません。
Unfortunately, I can't take part this time.
Common patterns
- 残念ながら
- unfortunately
- 残念な結果
- a disappointing result
- 残念に思う
- to feel regret about something
Memory tip
残念 is disappointment about how something turned out, not guilt — you don't apologise with it. 残念ながら at the head of a sentence is the polite way to introduce bad news.
Kanji in this word
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What does 残念 mean?