哀(あわ)れ

あわれ
na-adjective, noun
pitiful, pathetic, sad
descriptive
1. pitiful, pathetic
Deserving of pity or sympathy due to misfortune.
哀(あわ)れな姿(すがた)だった。
It was a pitiful sight.
哀(あわ)れな声(こえ)で助(たす)けを求(もと)めた。
He called for help in a pitiful voice.
雨(あめ)に濡(ぬ)れた子犬(こいぬ)が哀(あわ)れだった。
The rain-soaked puppy was pitiful.
2. sad, touching, moving
Evoking feelings of sadness or deep emotion.
哀(あわ)れな物語(ものがたり)だ。
It's a sad story.
秋(あき)の夕暮(ゆうぐ)れは哀(あわ)れを感(かん)じさせる。
Autumn evenings make one feel a touching sadness.
散(ち)りゆく桜(さくら)に哀(あわ)れな美(うつく)しさを見(み)た。
I saw a poignant beauty in the falling cherry blossoms.
3. pity, pathos
A feeling of sympathy or sorrow (as a noun).
哀(あわ)れに思(おも)う。
To feel pity.
哀(あわ)れを誘(さそ)う話(はなし)だった。
It was a story that evoked pity.
彼(かれ)の境遇(きょうぐう)に哀(あわ)れを催(もよお)さずにはいられなかった。
I couldn't help but feel compassion for his circumstances.

哀(あわ)れ expresses pity, pathos, or a touching sadness.

Forms

  • Na-adjective: 哀(あわ)れな (pitiful)
  • Noun: 哀(あわ)れ (pity, pathos)

Common patterns

Cultural note

  • もののあわれ (物(もの)の哀(あわ)れ): a key concept in Japanese aesthetics meaning “the pathos of things” - sensitivity to the ephemeral nature of beauty

Related Words

Synonym: 惨(みじ)め (miserable, wretched)
Compare: 悲(かな)しい (sad)
Compare: かわいそう (pitiful, pathetic, poor (thing))
Compare: いたましい (pitiful)
Related: 痛々(いたいた)しい (pitiful)
Related: 憫然(びんぜん) (pitiable)
Compare: 憐(あわ)れむ (to pity)
Compare: 悲痛(ひつう) (grief)
Compare: 悲哀(ひあい) (sorrow)
general
Added 2026.1.9 21:15 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
01500/01775_aware