How to say "mercy" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 慈悲じひno-adjectiveMercy as compassion or clemency — the pity felt for someone in one's power or in misfortune; it names the compassionate feeling itself, rather than an act of going easy.
- 情けなさけnounMercy as warm human sympathy — the compassion one person feels for another's distress and shows as kindness; it stresses fellow feeling rather than formal clemency.
- 容赦ようしゃnoun, suru verb, transitive verbMercy as leniency: sparing someone punishment or harsh treatment rather than feeling compassion for them; it is the mercy of going easy on someone, not of pitying them.
Use 慈悲 for mercy as compassion or clemency, 「情け」 for mercy as human sympathy and kindness toward someone in distress, and 容赦 for mercy as leniency or sparing someone harsh treatment.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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