悔恨

• Reading: かいこん
• Romaji: kaikon
• Kanji breakdown: 悔 (kai/ku) — regret, repentance; 恨 (kon) — resentment, bitterness
• Pronunciation: /ka.i.ko.ɴ/

Meaning

Regret; remorse; repentance. A deep, inward-directed bitterness over one's own past actions or failures.

A formal and literary expression of regret, stronger and more lasting than ordinary 後悔 (koukai). 悔恨 implies regret so profound it is tinged with bitterness, often coloured by a sense that the wrong cannot be undone. Common in formal writing, literary contexts, and discussions of moral or ethical failure. Collocations include 悔恨の念 (feelings of remorse) and 悔恨に苛まれる (to be tormented by regret).

Examples

1. 若い頃の無謀な選択に対する悔恨が、彼の晩年を暗く染めた。 Remorse over the reckless choices of his youth cast a shadow over his later years.
2. 深い悔恨を胸に、彼女は被害者の家族に謝罪の手紙を書いた。 With deep remorse in her heart, she wrote a letter of apology to the victim's family.
3. 悔恨の念を抱くことは大切だが、それに縛られていては前に進めない。 It is important to feel remorse, but you cannot move forward if you remain shackled by it.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, ethics, personal reflection, formal apology

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound of 悔 (kai, regret, repentance) and 恨 (kon, resentment, bitterness). Together they express inward-directed bitter regret over one's own actions — deeper, more enduring, and more morally charged than ordinary regret.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated