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遗憾 (yí hàn) — (noun) regret (a feeling of disappointment about something past); (adjective) regrettable, sorry

Definition

遗憾 is 'regret' — both the noun (a feeling about something lost or past) and the adjective ('regrettable, what a pity'). Stronger and more written than 可惜 ('what a pity'); unlike 后悔 it points outward at a situation, not inward at your own past choice.

noun
regret (a feeling of disappointment about something past)
adjective
regrettablesorry

Examples

  • 遗憾。
    Wǒ duì zhè ge jué dìng gǎn dào yí hàn.
    I feel regret about this decision.
  • 遗憾，。
    Hěn yí hàn, wǒ bù néng cān jiā nǐ de shēng rì pài duì.
    I'm very sorry — I can't attend your birthday party.
  • 遗憾！
    Zhè zhēn shì tài yí hàn le!
    This is really regrettable!

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

遗yíleft behind
憾hànregret

The 憾 of 遗憾 is the regret left behind by 遗.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 遺; 遗 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòmove
Sound part声符shēngfú
貴
貴guì遺yí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 遺 pairs 辶 (move) with 貴 as a sound part; the simplified 遗 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the old sound part.

Open 遗 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
感
感gǎn憾hàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

憾 pairs 忄 (the heart/mind form of 心) with 感, which gives the sound.

Open 憾 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Emotions & Feelings2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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