← Back

哀

pathetic
Stroke count: 9

Readings

On readingアイ
Kun readingあわ.れ、あわ.れむ、かな.しい
JōyōGrade 8KANJIDIC

Meanings

  1. patheticRtK
    彼は事業に失敗して今や全く哀れなものだ。He failed in his business and now is a total wreck.tatoeba
    彼は私に哀しい物語を聞かせた。He told me a sad story.tatoeba
  2. grief
  3. sorrow
  4. pathos
  5. pity
  6. sympathize
  1. to pity
  2. to feel sympathy for
  3. to sympathize with
  4. to sympathise with
  5. to commiserate with

Popular Usage

哀れ可哀想

Radicals and components

Radical口mouth囗variant
Components
How it's built
哀
  • →
    • →
  • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

top hat (亠) · scarf (冂) · mouth (口)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 428

Compound words

哀れあわれ
pity; sorrow; grief; misery; compassion
物の哀れもののあわれ
mono no aware; appreciation of the fleeting nature of beauty; pathos of things; strong aesthetic sense
可哀想かわいそう
poor; pitiable; pathetic; pitiful
哀愁あいしゅう
pathos; sorrow; grief
哀悼あいとう
condolence; regret; tribute; sorrow; sympathy
悲哀ひあい
sorrow; grief; sadness
哀れむあわれむ
to pity; to feel sympathy for; to sympathize with; to sympathise with; to commiserate with
喜怒哀楽きどあいらく
human emotions (joy, anger, grief and pleasure); feelings
哀音あいおん
sad voices
哀歌あいか
lament (song)
哀楽あいらく
grief and pleasure
哀感あいかん
pathos
哀歓あいかん
joys and sorrows
哀願あいがん
supplication
哀号あいごう
moan
哀哉かなしいかな
sad to say
哀史あいし
sad story
哀詞あいし
message of condolence
哀詩あいし
elegy
哀傷あいしょう
sorrow
哀情あいじょう
sorrow
哀惜あいせき
grief
哀訴あいそ
appeal
哀弔あいちょう
sympathetic condolences

Additional Examples

彼は妻に別れないでくれと哀願した。
He entreated his wife not to leave him.tatoeba
彼はしょんぼりして、哀れに見えた。
He looked piteous, like a drowned mouse.tatoeba

Stroke Order

9 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 哀

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step