Japanese word of the day: 悲しい (Kanashii)

What does 悲しい (Kanashii) mean?

悲しい (Kanashii) (い-adjective) – Sad, sorrowful, mournful. This word describes the feeling of sadness, whether it’s caused by a loss, disappointment, or just a general sense of melancholy. It’s the word you use when your heart feels heavy and you want to express that emotion honestly.

Kanji details for 悲

Character: 悲 — grieve, sad, deplore, regret
Radical: heart 心 (忄, ⺗)

Example sentences with 悲しい (Kanashii)

• その映画はとても悲しかったです。
  (Sono eiga wa totemo kanashikatta desu.)
  🎬 That movie was very sad.

• 悲しい知らせを聞きました。
  (Kanashii shirase o kikimashita.)
  📢 I heard some sad news.

• 別れはいつも悲しいです。
  (Wakare wa itsumo kanashii desu.)
  💔 Goodbyes are always sad.

悲しい (Kanashii) in context

悲しい is an essential word for expressing sadness in Japanese. It can describe personal feelings, sad events, or even things like sad stories, movies, or music. It’s often used in everyday conversation, literature, and media to convey deep emotion and empathy.

While 悲しい is about the feeling of sadness, it’s different from words like 寂しい (sabishii, “lonely”) or 辛い (tsurai, “painful/difficult”), which describe other kinds of emotional discomfort. 悲しい is specifically about sorrow and grief, and it’s the word you’ll use to comfort someone or to share your own feelings.

You’ll see 悲しい in phrases like “悲しい気持ち” (sad feelings), “悲しい話” (sad story), and “悲しい出来事” (sad event). It’s a word that connects people through shared emotions and helps you express empathy and understanding.