悲劇
higeki[çiɡe̞kʲi]
The English word 'tragedy' can be translated into Japanese as 悲劇 (higeki) or 惨事.
Meaning: disastrous event, especially one involving great loss of life or injury (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 悲劇 | higeki | [çiɡe̞kʲi] (narrow) |
| 惨事 | sanji | [sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑi] (narrow) |
The word 'tragedy' in Japanese is used to describe disastrous events, particularly those involving great loss of life or injury. You can also use the related adjective 悲劇的 to mean 'tragic' by adding the suffix -的 to the noun.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 悲劇 (higeki) is composed of the characters 悲 (sad/sorrow) and 劇 (drama/play).
Which one should you use?
悲劇 (higeki) is typically used when discussing the emotional or literary aspects of a tragedy, or a profound human tragedy. In contrast, 惨事 (sanji) is used to focus more specifically on the scale of a physical disaster, a catastrophe or an accident involving physical carnage.
How do you pronounce it?
higeki
Did you know?
- The word 悲劇 is a 'calque', meaning it was created by translating the English word 'tragedy' into Japanese characters rather than using an indigenous Japanese term.
- The character 劇 in 悲劇 refers to a play or drama, reflecting how the concept of 'tragedy' entered the language through the lens of theater.
- The character 悲 in 悲劇 is also the root for words related to 'melancholy' and 'pathos', linking the concept of a tragedy directly to the feeling of deep sadness.
Examples in context
- 悲劇は突然起こった。The tragedy happened suddenly.This sentence shows how to describe a tragedy happening suddenly using 悲劇.Tatoeba #85937 by bunbuku, translation #317774 by CM
- 同じことが繰り返されないために、その悲劇を忘れてはならない。The tragedy must be remembered so that it is not repeated.This sentence uses 悲劇 to express the importance of remembering a tragedy.Tatoeba #123722 by bunbuku, translation #44386 by CK
- 愛はフランスでは喜劇、英国では悲劇、イタリアでは歌劇、そしてドイツではメロドラマである。Love is a comedy in France, a tragedy in England, an opera in Italy, and a melodrama in Germany.This sentence uses 悲劇 in a metaphorical comparison regarding love and different countries.Tatoeba #1797005 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #1797758 by Bah_Dure
- 社会の悲劇を正確に報告するのは重要です。Reporting societal tragedies accurately is important.
- あの事故は悲劇的な結果をもたらしました。That accident led to tragic consequences.
- 昨日の火事は本当に大惨事だったよ。Yesterday's fire was a real tragedy.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a news report about a natural disaster.
- 美咲 Misakiあの震災は本当の悲劇だね。Ano shinsai wa hontou no higeki dane.That earthquake was a true tragedy.
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね、多くの命が失われた。Sou dane, ooku no inochi ga ushinawareta.You're right, many lives were lost.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太さんはどう思う？Youta-san wa dou omou?What do you think, Youta?
- 陽太 Yota二度とこのような悲劇が起きないようにしたいよ。Nido to kono you na higeki ga okinai you ni shitai yo.I want to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tragedy” translations and entries 悲劇, 惨事, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 悲劇, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
