后悔

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Character Breakdown

Understanding 后悔 (hòu huǐ)

后悔 means to regret or feel remorse about something that has already happened. It often expresses a sense of wishing one had acted differently in the past.

Usage in Conversation

People use 后悔 to talk about personal feelings of regret, often after making a decision or missing an opportunity. It can be followed by a verb phrase describing what was regretted, e.g., 学习 (not studying earlier).

Common Collocations

  • 后悔: too late to regret, expressing deep regret after the fact.
  • 后悔: to regret endlessly, emphasizing strong remorse.
  • 后悔: to not regret, often used to affirm a decision.

Nuances and Tips

后悔 is a strong emotional word, so it usually appears in contexts where the speaker feels genuine remorse or disappointment. It differs from simpler words like (to think) or 觉得 (to feel) because it implies a negative judgment about past actions.

Avoid confusing 后悔 with 伤心 (sad) or 难过 (upset), which describe emotional states but not necessarily regret about past decisions.

Example Sentences

I really regret not studying Chinese earlier.

He regrets not listening to his friend's advice at the time.

Although you failed, don't regret it; the important thing is to learn from