pity, be sparing of, frugal, stingy

About this kanji

The kanji 「惜」 primarily means to feel pity or regret. It is often used as a verb to express sentiments like sparing something or being stingy. For example, the word 惜しい (おしい) conveys a sense of something regrettable or missed, while 惜しむ (おしむ) means to spare or not want to let go. Another interesting compound is 名残惜しい (なごりおしい), which describes the feeling of being reluctant to part from someone or something. This kanji captures a sense of sentimentality, so you might use it when you feel sorry about a lost opportunity or when you want to hold on to something special. It's a relatable emotion many people experience.

Example sentences

• 時間を惜しまずに使おう。

  Let's use our time without hesitation.

Meanings across languages

English

pity, be sparing of, frugal, stingy, regret

Tiếng Việt

tiếc

日本語

惜しい

한국어

아까움

中文

惜

id

kesal

th

ความเสียใจ

es

lástima

fr

regret

de

Mangel

pt

piedade

Common compounds

• 惜しいおしいregrettable, disappointing, unfortunate
• 惜しむおしむto spare, to grudge, to be sparing (with)
• 名残惜しいなごりおしいreluctant (to part)
• 惜敗せきはいregrettable defeat, defeat by a narrow margin
• 痛惜つうせきdeep regret
• 惜しみ無くおしみなくwithout stint, freely
• 負け惜しみまけおしみbeing a poor loser, unwillingness to admit defeat, sour grapes
• 哀惜あいせきgrief, sorrow