悲惨・悲酸|ひさんhisan[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
悲惨悲惨 is the more common form and the recommended choice for beginners; it is written entirely in kanji.
悲酸悲酸 is a rarely used kanji-only variant. You may encounter it, but choose 悲惨 instead when writing as a beginner.
Definitions
- na-adjective, noundisastrous; tragic; miserable; wretched; pitiful; woeful; outrageous
Conjugation
| Plain form | 悲惨（ひさん） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 悲惨です（ひさんです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 悲惨ではない（ひさんではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 悲惨ではありません（ひさんではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 悲惨だった（ひさんだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 悲惨ではなかった（ひさんではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 悲惨で（ひさんで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 悲惨に（ひさんに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 悲惨なら（ひさんなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym惨めみじめNeutralAn adjectival noun for a wretched state in which one's pride is hurt, as in 「惨めな暮らし」; centers on the person's own sense of humiliation.
- Synonym痛ましいいたましいNeutralMeans heartbreaking, as in 「痛ましい事故」; stresses that what you see makes your heart ache.
- SynonymミゼラブルNeutralA loanword for being miserable and pitiable; rare in everyday use and with a literary flavor. 「悲惨」 is the formal term often seen in news reports.
- Related不幸ふこうNeutralA noun for misfortune or being struck by disaster; it also tactfully refers to a family member's death. The focus is on a person's own fate.
- Related気の毒きのどくNeutralA noun for feeling sorry for someone, as in 「お気の毒に」; the emphasis is on the sympathy of an onlooker rather than the situation itself.
- Related哀れあわれNeutralA noun for pitiable, sorrowful states, with a classical, lyrical coloring. 「悲惨」 stresses how dire the circumstances are, so the two differ in focus.
- Related無残むざんNeutralA noun for merciless cruelty or a dreadful sight, as in 「無残な姿」; stresses something having been ravaged or torn apart.
- Related凄惨せいさんWrittenWritten/formal prose. A noun for scenes so ghastly they send chills down your spine, as in 「凄惨な現場」; stronger in degree than 「悲惨」.
- Related不憫ふびんNeutralAn adjectival noun for someone so pitiable your heart goes out to them; used mostly for children and the weak, but also for strangers.
- Related酸鼻さんびWrittenWritten/formal prose. A noun for scenes too appalling to look at that bring tears to your eyes, as in 「酸鼻を極める」.
- Related惨烈さんれつWrittenWritten/formal prose. A noun for savage, atrocious cruelty, used mostly in descriptions of wars and accidents.
Use 「悲惨」 for accidents and situations too terrible to behold, as in 「悲惨な事故」「悲惨な状況」. For ghastly, hair-raising scenes pick 「凄惨」; for things wrecked or destroyed 「無残」; for wounded pride 「惨め」; for heart-wrenching sights 「痛ましい」; to express sympathy for someone, 「気の毒」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
