Japanese symbol for “sadness”
悲しみ
かなしみ
Romaji: kanashimi
sadness; sorrow; grief
In Japanese, sadness is 悲しみ, read かなしみ (kanashimi).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n sadness; sorrow; grief
- n affection; love
Written forms: 悲しみ、哀しみ、愛しみ. Readings: かなしみ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “sadness”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 悲哀 | ひあい hiai | sorrow; grief; sadness |
| 憂さ | うさ usa | gloom; sadness; melancholy |
| 悲しさ | かなしさ kanashisa | sadness; sorrow; grief |
| 哀情 | あいじょう aijou | sorrow; sadness; grief |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 悲劇 | ひげき higeki | tragedy; tragic drama; tragic play |
| 悲惨 | ひさん hisan | disastrous; tragic; miserable |
| 悲鳴 | ひめい himei | shriek; scream |
| 悲しい | かなしい kanashii | sad; miserable; unhappy |
| 悲観 | ひかん hikan | pessimism; (taking a) gloomy view; discouragement |
See also: Chinese symbol for “sadness”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.