哀れみ
awaremi
In Japanese, the word for pity is 哀れみ (awaremi).
哀れみ (awaremi) is a noun that refers to a feeling of pity or pathos. It is often used in literary or poetic contexts to describe a profound sense of pity or the inherent pathos of a situation. Related verbs used to express the act of feeling pity for someone or something include 同情する and 気の毒に思う.
Meaning: feeling of sympathy (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun 哀れみ is derived from the adjective 哀れ (aware), which means pitiful or pathetic.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase かわいそうな functions as an adjective to describe someone or something as pitiful.
How do you pronounce it?
awaremi
Did you know?
- The adjective kawaii, meaning 'cute', shares the same linguistic root as kawaisou, meaning 'pitiful'.
- The root of 哀れみ is the classical Japanese concept of 'mono no aware', a profound awareness of the impermanence of things. While it can mean 'pity' today, it originally described a moving, bittersweet sensitivity to the fleeting nature of life.
- Using awaremi toward a social superior can be seen as condescending, as it implies the speaker is in a position to grant mercy.
Examples in context
- 哀れみと愛情は紙一重。Pity is akin to love.This sentence is useful for illustrating the relationship between 哀れみ and love.Tatoeba #191578 by KK_kaku_, translation #28740 by Dejo
- 大変な目に遭いましたね。お気の毒に。You've been through a tough time. I feel sorry for you.
- ご家族のご不幸、お悔やみ申し上げます。I offer my condolences for your family's loss.
- 彼女、試験に落ちたんだって。かわいそうに。I heard she failed the exam. How pitiful.
- 彼の境遇に哀れみを覚える。Kare no kyougu ni awaremi o oboeru.I feel pity for his circumstances.
- その行動は哀れみさえ感じさせる。Sono koudou wa awaremi sae kanjisaseru.That behavior even evokes a sense of pity.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a character in a movie.
- 大翔 Hirotoあの主人公には哀れみを感じるね。Ano shujinkou ni wa awaremi o kanjiru ne.I feel pity for that protagonist.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に、見ていて辛い物語ね。Hontou ni, mite ite tsurai monogatari ne.Really, it is a painful story to watch.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲は感情移入しやすいタイプだね。Misaki wa kanjou inyuu shiyasui taipu da ne.Misaki, you are the type who easily empathizes.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔にそう言われると照れるよ。Hiroto ni sou iwareru to tereru yo.I'm flattered when you say that, Hiroto.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
