1.
sorrow, grief, melancholy
A deep, lingering sadness or melancholy. A literary word for emotional pain or grief that weighs heavily on the heart.
憂いを帯びた表情。
An expression tinged with sorrow.
彼女の瞳には深い憂いが宿っていた。
A deep sadness dwelt in her eyes.
秋の夕暮れには、どこか言いようのない憂いが漂う。
In the autumn twilight, an indescribable melancholy hangs in the air.
2.
anxiety, worry, concern
Worry or concern about future troubles or the state of the world. Often used in the expression 'to have concerns about' or 'the worry of.'
将来への憂いがある。
I have worries about the future.
備えあれば憂いなし。
If you are prepared, you have nothing to worry about.
A well-known proverb meaning "preparedness eliminates worry."
国の行く末を憂いている知識人は少なくない。
There are not a few intellectuals who worry about the future of the country.
USAGE:
憂い is a literary and elegant word. In sense 1, it describes a deep, poetic sadness — common in literature and artistic contexts. In sense 2, it describes worry or concern, often about larger issues like the state of society or the future.
The verb form 憂える means "to grieve over" or "to worry about."
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 憂いを帯びる: to be tinged with sorrow
- 憂いを含む: to contain sadness
- 備えあれば憂いなし: preparedness eliminates worry (proverb)
- 後顧の憂い: lingering worries about what one leaves behind
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 憂い: sorrow, worry (literary, elegant)
- 悲しみ: sadness (common, emotional)
- 哀しみ: sorrow, pathos (deeper, more poetic than 悲しみ)
- 不安: anxiety (everyday, practical worry)