Meaning
The kanji 愁 (shū) represents profound emotional states such as sorrow, grief, melancholy, lament, and worry. It conveys a deep, lingering sadness—more akin to melancholy than fleeting distress. This character often describes a pensive, slightly sorrowful mood or an underlying anxiety, rather than immediate, sharp pain.
愁 is a semantic-phonetic compound. Its left-hand radical, 心 (kokoro), meaning "heart" or "mind," directly indicates the kanji's emotional nature, telling us it deals with feelings and inner states. The right-hand component is 秋 (aki), meaning "autumn." While 秋 primarily acts as the phonetic component, guiding the on'yomi reading "shū," it also offers a rich semantic suggestion. In many cultures, including Japan, autumn is associated with changing seasons, falling leaves, decline, wistfulness, and melancholy. This blend of "heart" and "autumn" vividly expresses the kanji's core meaning of deep-seated sorrow or pensive grief.
Visually, 愁 depicts a "heart" affected by the seasonal shift of "autumn." This metaphor suggests how the season's beauty and inevitable decline can stir feelings of sadness or contemplation. The combination makes 愁 a poignant and evocative character.
The kanji 愁 has 13 strokes and is not assigned a specific school grade (Grade 0). However, it is a Jōyō kanji, essential for advanced Japanese proficiency and included in the JLPT N1 level.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary On'yomi reading for 愁 is シュウ (shū). This reading is typically used in compound words, often with other kanji, to form nouns or adverbs that express various shades of sorrow, grief, or melancholy. It tends to appear in more formal or literary contexts.
- 憂愁 (yūshū) — melancholy; gloom; sorrow. This compound combines 憂 (yū, worry) and 愁 (shū, sorrow) to emphasize a state of deep and lingering sadness.
- 哀愁 (aishū) — pathos; deep sorrow; grief. Here, 哀 (ai, sorrow, pity) intensifies the feeling of 愁, often referring to an artistic or poetic sense of lament.
- 郷愁 (kyōshū) — nostalgia; homesickness. 郷 (kyō, hometown) combines with 愁 to express a specific type of longing and sorrow for one's birthplace.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi readings for 愁 are rooted in native Japanese words and often appear either alone or with okurigana (送り仮名) to form verbs or nouns. They convey a more direct and often personal feeling of sorrow or lament.
うれ・い (urei): This is the noun form, conveying "sorrow," "grief," "lament," or "worry." It refers to the state or feeling itself.
愁い (urei) — sorrow; grief; melancholy.
愁いの表情 (urei no hyōjō) — a sorrowful expression; a look of grief.
心に愁いを抱く (kokoro ni urei o idaku) — to harbor sorrow in one's heart.
うれ・える (ureeru): This is the verb form, meaning "to lament," "to grieve," "to be sad about," or "to worry about." It describes the act of experiencing or expressing sorrow.
愁える (ureeru) — to lament; to grieve; to worry.
未来を愁える (mirai o ureeru) — to worry about the future.
世の無常を愁える (yo no mujō o ureeru) — to lament the impermanence of the world.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 愁 appears in various compound words, often relating to emotions, psychological states, and literary expressions of sadness or concern. The examples below show how 愁 conveys different nuances of sorrow and worry.
- 憂愁 (yūshū) — melancholy; gloom. Often used to describe a prolonged state of sadness.
- 哀愁 (aishū) — pathos; deep sorrow; grief. Implies a profound, often poetic, sense of sadness.
- 郷愁 (kyōshū) — nostalgia; homesickness. A longing or sadness for one's home or past.
- 愁訴 (shūso) — complaint; lamentation. An expression of distress or grievance.
- 愁眉 (shūbi) — knitted brows (from worry or sorrow). Describes a facial expression indicating sadness.
- 愁情 (shūjō) — sorrowful feelings; melancholy mood. Refers to the sentiment itself.
- 秋愁 (shūshū) — autumnal melancholy. Directly connects the kanji's components, expressing sadness associated with autumn.
- 愁い (urei) — sorrow; grief; melancholy (noun). The direct native Japanese noun form.
- 愁える (ureeru) — to lament; to grieve; to worry (verb). The direct native Japanese verb form.
- 愁いを帯びた顔 (urei o obita kao) — a face filled with sorrow; a sorrowful face.
- 愁殺 (shūsatsu) — killing with sorrow (figurative). Implies an overwhelming amount of grief.
- 望郷の愁い (bōkyō no urei) — homesickness; sorrow of longing for one's hometown. A more descriptive way to express nostalgia.
Example Sentences
彼女の目には深い愁いが宿っていた。
Kanojo no me ni wa fukai urei ga yadotte ita.
Deep sorrow resided in her eyes.
彼は故郷への愁いを詩に綴った。
Kare wa kokyō e no urei o shi ni tsudzutta.
He expressed his longing for his hometown in a poem.
夕焼け空は、見る人に哀愁を感じさせる。
Yūyakezora wa, miru hito ni aishū o kanjisa seru.
The sunset sky makes people feel a sense of pathos.
老人は、失われた日々を静かに愁えていた。
Rōjin wa, ushinawareta hibi o shizuka ni ureete ita.
The old man quietly grieved for the lost days.
その音楽には、どこか憂愁を帯びたメロディーがあった。
Sono ongaku ni wa, dokoka yūshū o obita merodī ga atta.
There was a somewhat melancholic melody in that music.
故郷を離れて久しいと、誰もが郷愁を感じるものだ。
Kokyō o hanarete hisashii to, daremo ga kyōshū o kanjiru mono da.
When one has been away from their hometown for a long time, everyone feels homesickness.
子供たちの未来を愁える親の気持ちは理解できる。
Kodomo-tachi no mirai o ureeru oya no kimochi wa rikai dekiru.
I can understand a parent's feelings of worry for their children's future.
彼女の愁いを帯びた声が、彼の心に響いた。
Kanojo no urei o obita koe ga, kare no kokoro ni hibiita.
Her sorrowful voice echoed in his heart.
秋の深まりとともに、心に一抹の愁いが訪れる。
Aki no fukamari to tomo ni, kokoro ni ichimatsu no urei ga otozureru.
As autumn deepens, a touch of melancholy visits the heart.
詩人は、世の理不尽さを愁えて多くの作品を残した。
Shijin wa, yo no rifujinsa o ureete ooku no sakuhin o nokoshita.
The poet lamented the injustices of the world and left behind many works.
Memory Tip
To remember 愁, consider its two main components: 心 (heart) on the left and 秋 (autumn) on the right. Picture autumn's arrival, with its falling leaves and melancholic atmosphere, deeply affecting one's heart (心). This combination evokes a sense of sadness, grief, or lament. You can think of 愁 as "autumn in the heart," which often brings feelings of sorrow and melancholy. The beauty and inevitable decline of autumn frequently stir a deep, pensive sadness within us, and this kanji powerfully expresses that sentiment.