How do you say "sad" in Japanese?

悲しい

Kanashii

Adjective Kanji

In Japanese, "sad" is 悲しい (Kanashii).

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Pronunciation

悲しい is written using kanji. Romanised as Kanashii, it sounds roughly like "kah-nah-shee" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Kanashii (悲しい) is an i-adjective that can describe either a feeling of sadness or something that causes sadness. You can combine it with other words like kanashii kimochi (sad feeling) or kanashii hanashi (sad story).

Example sentence

その映画はとても悲しいです。

Sono eiga wa totemo kanashii desu.

That film is very sad.

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How to remember 悲しい

Kanashii sounds like a wailing cry when pronounced. The sadness is built into the sound of the word itself.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese adjectives.

Questions about 悲しい

How do you pronounce 悲しい?

悲しい is romanised as Kanashii. Say it roughly like "kah-nah-shee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 悲しい formal or casual?

悲しい is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 悲しい written in Japanese?

悲しい is written using kanji. Kanashii (悲しい) is an i-adjective that can describe either a feeling of sadness or something that causes sadness.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Sad" in other languages

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