悔 means “regret, vexed”

くやしい · kuyashii

Also: repent

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

くいる, くやむ, くやしい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

The heart (忄) beside 毎, every: picture replaying a mistake every time you close your eyes. 悔しい is the sting of losing, 後悔 is regret, and 悔いのないように, so there is nothing to regret, is the classic pep talk before a big game.

Used in 悔しい (kuyashii, frustrating/galling), 後悔 (koukai, regret), and 悔い (kui, regret)

More from Joy & Sorrow

• 奮 stir up
• 嘆 lament
• 憂 anxiety
• 惜 a pity
• 憾 regret
• 哀 sorrow
• 悦 joy
• 慨 deep emotion
• 愉 pleasure
• 煩 bother
• 慕 adore
• 愁 melancholy

Learn 悔 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.