哀: the kanji for sorrow; pity
哀 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means sorrow; pity. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
哀 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
哀 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 5 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
アイ (ai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 哀愁あいしゅう · aishū | melancholy |
| 悲哀ひあい · hiai | sorrow |
| 喜怒哀楽きどあいらく · kidoairaku | joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure; emotions |
あわれ (aware)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 哀れあわれ · aware | pitiful |
あわれむ (awaremu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 哀れむあわれむ · awaremu | to pity |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 雨にぬれた子猫が哀れだった。Ame ni nureta koneko ga aware datta.The kitten soaked by the rain was pitiful.
- 秋の夕暮れには哀愁がある。Aki no yūgure ni wa aishū ga aru.Autumn evenings have a sense of melancholy.
- 人生の悲哀を描いた映画だ。Jinsei no hiai o egaita eiga da.It's a film that depicts the sorrows of life.
- 人から哀れまれたくない。Hito kara awaremaretakunai.I don't want to be pitied by others.
- 喜怒哀楽がはっきりした人だ。Kidoairaku ga hakkiri shita hito da.She shows her emotions clearly.
Questions about 哀
How many strokes does 哀 have?
哀 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 哀?
The on readings are ai (アイ). The kun readings are aware (あわれ), awaremu (あわれむ).
What JLPT level is 哀?
N1. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Feelings and emotions
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Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 哀
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.