憾事 (hàn shì) — a matter of regret
Definition
憾事 is a literary, formal word for 'a matter for regret' — a specific past event or fact one feels sorry about. It is weightier than the everyday 后悔 (regret felt), referring to the regretted thing itself rather than the feeling.
noun
a matter of regret
Examples
- 憾事。Tā zuì dà de hàn shì shì méi yǒu hǎo hǎo hé fù mǔ gào bié.His biggest regret is not saying goodbye to his parents properly.
- 憾事。Zhè jiàn shì biàn chéng le tā yì shēng de hàn shì.This incident became a lifelong regret for him.
- 憾事，。Tā tí qǐ nà jiàn hàn shì, réng rán hěn shāng xīn.When she brings up that regrettable matter, she is still very sad.
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