Meaning and Usage
"悲しい" (かなしい) is an adjective used to express feelings of sadness or sorrow. It is commonly used in everyday conversation to describe emotional states caused by loss, disappointment, or touching events.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "悲しい" when talking about sad news, movies, or personal feelings. It can describe both temporary emotions and deeper, more lasting sorrow.
Collocations and Patterns
- 悲しい気持ち (かなしいきもち): sad feelings or emotions
- 悲しい話 (かなしいはなし): a sad story
- 悲しいけれど (かなしいけれど): although sad, often used to introduce a contrasting or hopeful statement
Register and Nuance
"悲しい" is neutral and polite enough for most situations, including casual and formal speech. It conveys genuine emotion without exaggeration.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "悲しい" with "寂しい" (さびしい), which means lonely. Remember, "悲しい" focuses on sadness, while "寂しい" emphasizes loneliness or missing someone.