悔(く)い

くい
noun
regret; remorse
formalliteraryemotion
1. regret; remorse; repentance
A feeling of sadness or disappointment about something one did or failed to do. Often used about past actions that cannot be undone.
あの時(とき)もっと努力(どりょく)していればと悔(く)いが残(のこ)る。
I regret not having tried harder back then.
悔(く)いのない人生(じんせい)を送(おく)りたい。
I want to live a life without regrets.
彼(かれ)は一生(いっしょう)その悔(く)いを抱(かか)えて生(い)きた。
He lived his whole life carrying that regret.
あの時(とき)声(こえ)をかけていれば、こんな悔(く)いは残(のこ)らなかっただろう。
If I had spoken up back then, I probably wouldn't have this regret.
試合(しあい)に負(ま)けたのは悔(くや)しいが、全力(ぜんりょく)を出(だ)し切(き)ったので悔(く)いはない。
Losing the match is frustrating, but I gave it everything I had, so I have no regrets.

Common expressions

Usage

悔(く)い is more literary than 後悔(こうかい) and appears mostly in the set phrases above; in everyday conversation 後悔(こうかい)する is the ordinary choice. 悔(く)いのない選択(せんたく)をする (to make a choice one will not regret) is common when facing a major decision.

Related words

Related Words

Related: 後悔(こうかい) (regret)
Related: 悔(く)いる (to regret (verb))
Related: 悔(くや)む (to regret, to lament)
Related: 悔(くや)しい (frustrating, mortifying)
core
Added 2026.1.18 12:54 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
06500/06648_kui