悔恨

• Pinyin: huǐ hèn
• Hanzi breakdown: 悔 = 忄+ 每 (heart + every, to repent); 恨 = 忄+ 艮 (heart + stubborn/hard, to resent)

Meaning

To feel deep remorse or regret. To be filled with anguish over one's past actions or failures, often with a sense that nothing can undo them.

Stronger than 后悔 (to regret), 悔恨 conveys profound emotional pain over irreversible past mistakes. The combination of 悔 (repentance) and 恨 (resentment) suggests both self-reproach and bitter grief. Common in literary, formal, and emotionally intense contexts.

Examples

1. 他悔恨自己当年没有珍惜那段感情，如今物是人非，一切都已无法挽回。 He deeply regretted not cherishing that relationship back then; now everything has changed, and nothing can be undone.
2. 战争结束后，许多士兵深感悔恨，不得不用余生来承受心理上的创伤。 After the war ended, many soldiers were filled with remorse and had to carry psychological trauma for the rest of their lives.
3. 她悔恨地看着手中那封从未寄出的信，意识到错过的时机已永远无法弥补。 She looked at the letter she had never sent with deep regret, realizing the moment she missed could never be made up for.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, psychology, personal reflection

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他悔恨自己当初没有抓住机会，如今只能眼睁睁地看着曾经触手可及的梦想渐渐远去。(He deeply regrets not seizing the opportunity back then, and can now only watch helplessly as the dream that was once within reach slowly fades away.)
• 面对日渐衰老的父母，她充满悔恨，因为工作的忙碌让她错过了太多与家人相处的宝贵时光。(Facing her ageing parents, she was filled with remorse, for the busyness of work had caused her to miss too many precious moments with her family.)

Don't Say

• 悔恨 as mild everyday regret — use 后悔 instead; 悔恨 implies intense, deep-seated remorse, not minor disappointment over trivial matters

Origin & History

悔 (repent/regret) + 恨 (resent/hate) — to repent and bitterly resent one's own past actions

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal