不幸|ふこうfukou[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. noun, na-adjectiveunhappiness; sorrow; misfortune; disaster; accident
   それで余計よけいに彼かれは不幸ふこうになった。↗

   That added to his unhappiness.
2. noundeath (usu. of a relative); bereavement

• Synonym不運ふうんNeutralRefers to bad luck, stressing accidental misfortunes; 「不幸」 focuses on the misfortune itself.
• Synonym不遇ふぐうNeutralUsed for talent going unrecognized or a poor lot despite ability; 「不幸」 points to calamity rather than lack of recognition.
• Synonym悲運ひうんWrittenWritten word for a tragic fate, as in 「悲運の名将」; more dramatic in flavor than 「不幸」.
• Synonym惨めみじめNeutralMiserable or pathetic, whether felt by the person or seen by others; 「不幸」 refers to the misfortune itself rather than the wretched state.
• Synonym数奇すうきWrittenWritten word for a checkered fate full of ups and downs, as in 「数奇な運命」; 「不幸」 carries no sense of dramatic turns.
• Synonym厄やくNeutralBad luck or calamity; also refers to unlucky years in folk belief, as in 「厄払い」.
• Synonym不幸せふしあわせNeutralNot being happy, stressing one's personal feelings; 「不幸」 also refers to death and bereavement.
• Synonym薄幸はっこうWrittenWritten word for an ill-fated life or shallow fortune, often applied to women; 「不幸」 is broader and covers misfortune in general.
• Synonym否運ひうんWrittenRare written word for ill fortune; 「不運」 is the usual choice.
• SynonymアンラッキーCasualColloquial loanword meaning unlucky, with a light tone; 「不幸」 is far heavier and more serious.
• Related気の毒きのどくNeutralExpresses sympathy for someone else's suffering; 「不幸」 refers to the misfortune itself, not the feeling toward it.
• Related災難さいなんNeutralA sudden disaster or stroke of bad luck, as in 「とんだ災難」; 「不幸」 can also mean a death in the family.
• Related悲惨ひさんNeutralStresses how appalling or tragic a situation is; 「不幸」 broadly covers misfortunes and also a death in the family.
• Related災いわざわいNeutralA calamity or scourge, as in 「口は災いの元」; 「不幸」 centers on a person's misfortunes rather than the disaster itself.
• Related不憫ふびんWrittenWritten word for pitiable, heart-rending cases, often involving family members or children; 「不幸」 is the misfortune itself.
• Related禍まがNeutralThe same word written 「禍」, common in set phrases such as 「災い転じて福となす」; 「不幸」 refers to a person's misfortunes.
• RelatedミゼラブルNeutralRare loanword meaning miserable or wretched; carries a literary flavor.
• Related厄難やくなんWrittenRare written word for calamities; in everyday use 「災難」 is the standard choice.
• Antonym幸福こうふくNeutralHappiness and well-being; the direct antonym of 「不幸」.
• Antonym幸運こううんNeutralGood luck and fortunate circumstances; the opposite of 「不幸」 when it means running into ill fortune.
• Antonym恵まれたNeutralBlessed with good conditions or circumstances; the opposite of 「不幸」 as a description of one's lot in life.

Use 「不幸」 for misfortunes and bereavement — a death in the family included. For mere bad luck say 「不運」, for a sudden stroke of bad luck 「災難」, for talent going unrewarded 「不遇」, and for a wretched, pitiable state 「惨め」. Written alternatives include 「薄幸」, 「悲運」 and 「数奇」 for ill-fated or checkered fates, while 「アンラッキー」 is a light, colloquial 'unlucky'. Sympathy for another's plight is 「気の毒」 or 「不憫」. The antonyms are 「幸福」, 「幸運」 and 「恵まれた」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 幸福こうふくでないこと。不幸ふしあわせ。
2. 身内みうちが死しぬこと。