Meaning
憾 carries a particular kind of pain — not sharp grief, but the dull weight of regret that lingers long after the moment has passed. It names the feeling of something left incomplete: a gap between what was hoped for and what actually happened. Ordinary sadness fades. 憾 doesn't. It settles in the chest like the aftertaste of an unfulfilled wish, or the quiet bitterness of a situation that could not be undone.
Two components build this character. On the left, 忄 is the compressed form of 心 (heart/mind), marking 憾 as part of the emotion family. On the right, 感 means "to feel" and supplies both meaning and phonetic cue. Read together: a heart (忄) that feels everything (感) — yet remains unsatisfied.
感 (feel) + 忄 (heart) → the feeling that stays in your heart as regret. You experienced it fully. You felt it completely. But something was still missing, still wrong, still wished otherwise — that gap is 憾.
At 16 strokes, 憾 is a Jōyō kanji (常用漢字) — standard literacy territory for secondary school and beyond. Formal writing, political speeches, newspaper editorials, and literary prose all reach for it regularly. Its most prominent compound, 遺憾, is so common in official contexts that many Japanese learners encounter it before the standalone kanji.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is カン (kan), derived from the Chinese pronunciation and used almost entirely in compounds (熟語 / jukugo). In practice, most Japanese speakers first encounter カン through 遺憾 — the go-to expression for formal regret in politics, diplomacy, and business.
Key compounds using the カン reading:
- 遺憾 (ikan) — regret, dissatisfaction; the standard compound for official statements and diplomatic language
- 遺憾なく (ikan naku) — fully, to the utmost; despite containing 遺憾, this phrase is used positively to mean "holding nothing back"
- 悔憾 (kaikan) — deep remorse; a literary compound combining 悔 (remorse) with 憾
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is うら(む) — ura(mu), the native Japanese verb meaning "to feel regret," "to lament," or "to be dissatisfied with an outcome." Where the カン compounds belong to formal registers, うらむ and its noun うらみ surface in personal, literary, and emotionally charged contexts.
うらむ can also be written with the more common kanji 恨む (恨). The distinction matters: 恨 points outward — resentment directed at another person. 憾 points inward — regret about circumstances, outcomes, or one's own choices. Same reading, different emotional target.
- 憾む (uramu) — to feel regret, to lament; to be dissatisfied with an outcome
- 憾み (urami) — lingering regret, grievance, or dissatisfaction
- 憾みなし (urami nashi) — no regrets; complete fulfillment after giving one's all
Common Words & Compounds
憾 is a specialized kanji, but its compounds — above all 遺憾 — appear constantly in formal Japanese. Here are the most important, organized by context:
Formal and Diplomatic Expressions
- 遺憾 (ikan) — regret, dissatisfaction; the default compound for official statements and diplomatic language
- 遺憾の意 (ikan no i) — expression of regret; set phrase in formal apologies and diplomatic protests
- 遺憾に思う (ikan ni omou) — to feel regret about something; formal expression of personal or institutional dissatisfaction
- 遺憾ながら (ikan nagara) — regrettably, unfortunately; used to introduce bad news politely in formal writing or speech
- 誠に遺憾 (makoto ni ikan) — truly regrettable; the reinforced form heard in serious official statements
Adverbial and Extended Use
- 遺憾なく (ikan naku) — fully, to the fullest extent; without holding back; despite the word 遺憾 inside it, this phrase carries a positive meaning — "completely," "without reservation"
- 遺憾の意を表明する (ikan no i wo hyōmei suru) — to formally express regret; a set phrase from political press conferences
Literary and Personal Expressions
- 悔憾 (kaikan) — deep remorse; a literary compound of 悔 (remorse) and 憾 (regret)
- 憾み (urami) — lingering regret or grievance; more personal and emotional than 遺憾
- 憾む (uramu) — to regret, to lament; verb form used in literature and elevated speech
- 憾みなし (urami nashi) — no regrets; used when someone has given everything and has nothing left to wish had gone differently
Example Sentences
遺憾ながら、その提案を受け入れることはできません。
Ikan nagara, sono teian wo ukeireru koto wa dekimasen.
Regrettably, we are unable to accept that proposal.
大臣は遺憾の意を表明した。
Daijin wa ikan no i wo hyōmei shita.
The minister formally expressed his regret.
この結果は誠に遺憾である。
Kono kekka wa makoto ni ikan de aru.
This outcome is truly regrettable.
彼は才能を遺憾なく発揮した。
Kare wa sainō wo ikan naku hakki shita.
He demonstrated his talent to the fullest without holding back.
試合に負けたことを憾むより、次に向けて練習しよう。
Shiai ni maketa koto wo uramu yori, tsugi ni mukete renshū shiyō.
Rather than dwelling on the loss, let's channel that energy into training for the next match.
政府は隣国の行動に遺憾を示した。
Seifu wa ringoku no kōdō ni ikan wo shimeshita.
The government expressed its dissatisfaction over the neighboring country's actions.
演奏者たちは技術を遺憾なく披露し、満場から喝采を浴びた。
Ensōsha-tachi wa gijutsu wo ikan naku hirō shi, manjō kara kassai wo abita.
The performers showcased their skill in full, drawing applause from the entire hall.
人生に憾みなく生きることが大切だ。
Jinsei ni urami naku ikiru koto ga taisetsu da.
Living life with no regrets is what matters.
その決断について今でも遺憾に思っている。
Sono ketsudan ni tsuite ima demo ikan ni omotteiru.
That decision still weighs on me, even now.
首相は「誠に遺憾の念に堪えない」と述べた。
Shushō wa "makoto ni ikan no nen ni taenai" to nobeta.
The prime minister stated, "I cannot express how deeply regrettable this is."
Memory Tip
Split the character in two: 忄 (heart) on the left, 感 (feel) on the right. A heart that feels everything — yet nothing is ever quite enough. That gap is 憾. The mnemonic: "I felt it all (感), heart and soul (忄), and I'm still not at peace." Next time you hear a politician say 遺憾 at a press conference, picture exactly that — full emotional experience, heavy with what couldn't be changed. This keeps 憾 distinct from 恨 (resentment aimed at others) and 悔 (the everyday remorse of 悔しい).