惜: the kanji for regret; spare
惜 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means regret; spare. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
惜 is written in 11 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
惜 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
セキ (seki)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 惜別せきべつ · sekibetsu | sorrow at parting |
おしい (oshii)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 惜しいおしい · oshii | regrettable; so close |
おしむ (oshimu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 惜しむおしむ · oshimu | to spare; to regret |
| 負け惜しみまけおしみ · makeoshimi | sour grapes … |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- あと一点で負けて、惜しかった。Ato itten de makete, oshikatta.We lost by just one point. So close.
- 彼は努力を惜しまない。Kare wa doryoku o oshimanai.He spares no effort.
- 捨てるのは惜しい服だ。Suteru no wa oshii fuku da.These clothes are too good to throw away.
- …それはただの負け惜しみだ。Sore wa tada no makeoshimi da.That's just sour grapes.
- 卒業式で惜別の言葉を述べた。Sotsugyōshiki de sekibetsu no kotoba o nobeta.I gave a farewell speech at the graduation ceremony.
Questions about 惜
How many strokes does 惜 have?
惜 is written in 11 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 惜?
The on readings are seki (セキ). The kun readings are oshii (おしい), oshimu (おしむ).
What JLPT level is 惜?
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 惜
- 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.