Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 後悔 / 后悔 | hòuhuǐ |
| 遺憾 / 遗憾 | yíhàn |
The verb to regret means to feel sorry about some past thing. Both 後悔 / 后悔 and 遺憾 / 遗憾 can also function as nouns to describe an instance of such an emotion. For example, the phrase 我非常遺憾 (wǒ fēicháng yíhàn) is a common formal way to express deep regret or to say 'it is a great pity' in professional or social settings.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these words depends on the source of the feeling. 後悔 / 后悔 (hòuhuǐ) is used when a person feels regret for a specific action or decision they made, often implying a sense of 'I wish I hadn't done that.' In contrast, 遺憾 / 遗憾 (yíhàn) is used for a more general sense of regret or feeling sorry about a situation, often used in formal contexts or to express a sense of 'it is a pity.' While both can mean regret, 後悔 / 后悔 focuses on personal culpability or a mistake made, whereas 遺憾 / 遗憾 focuses on the unfortunate nature of an event or a missed opportunity.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that one has already experienced the feeling of regret, you can add the particle 了 after 後悔 / 后悔 to say 後悔了 (regretted).
How do you pronounce it?
hòuhuǐ
Did you know?
- While 後悔 focuses on the past, it is often paired with the word 藥 meaning 'medicine' in the proverb 後悔藥, referring to a mythical medicine that can undo mistakes.
- In diplomatic language, the word 遺憾 is often used in official statements to express a 'regret' that does not admit legal or moral guilt.
- While 'regret' in English can be both a feeling and a cause, in Chinese, 遺憾 / 遗憾 (yíhàn) is frequently used as a polite way to decline an invitation or a proposal.
Examples in context
- 很抱歉，我迟到了。Sorry, I'm late.
- 对不起，我弄错了。I'm sorry, I made a mistake.
- 实在抱歉，我没能帮上忙。I'm really sorry, I couldn't help.
- 我错了，别生气了。I'm sorry, don’t be angry.
- 很抱歉迟到，非常感谢你的耐心等待。Sorry for being late, and thank you very much for your patience.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “regret” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
