かわいそうに
kawaisō ni
The English phrase "poor thing" is translated into Japanese as かわいそうに (kawaisō ni).
かわいそうに is frequently used as an interjection to express sympathy or pity toward someone or something in distress.
Meaning: someone or something to be pitied (noun)
Which one should you use?
While かわいそうに is a standard way to express pity, you might use ちょっとかわいそう to casually and light-heartedly convey that something is "a little pitiable". For expressing condolences or sympathy in formal settings, use お気の毒に instead.
How do you pronounce it?
kawaisō ni
Did you know?
- The word かわいそう shares the same root as かわいい, which means 'cute'. While they now mean 'pitiful' and 'cute' respectively, they both originate from the feeling of a heart being stirred by something small or helpless.
- Using かわいそうに toward a superior or someone of higher social status can be perceived as condescending, as pity implies a position of superiority over the person in distress.
- In Japanese pop culture and anime, characters often use かわいそう in a sarcastic or 'teasing' way to mock someone's misfortune, similar to saying 'poor baby' in English.
Examples in context
- かわいそうに！Poor thing!This sentence is useful for expressing 'Poor thing!' using かわいそうに.Tatoeba #2347908 by wakatyann630, translation #2701383 by mccarras
- 雨に濡れて、かわいそうに。Ame ni nurete, kawaisou ni.Getting soaked in the rain, poor thing.
- 一人ぼっちなんて、かわいそうに。Hitoribocchi nante, kawaisou ni.Being all alone, poor thing.
Example conversation
Hime and Daiki are talking about a stray cat in the rain.
- 陽葵 Himari雨の中で猫が濡れているよ。Ame no naka de neko ga nurete iru yo.The cat is getting wet in the rain.
- 大翔 Hirotoかわいそうに。どこか行くところがあるのかな。Kawaisō ni. Doko ka iku tokoro ga aru no kana.Poor thing. I wonder if it has anywhere to go.
- 陽葵 Himari何か食べさせてあげたいね。Nanika tabesasete agetai ne.I want to give it something to eat.
- 大翔 Hirotoそうだね。一緒に考えよう。Sō da ne. Issho ni kangaeyō.You're right. Let's think about it together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poor thing” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
