憂い

• Reading: うれい
• Romaji: urei
• Kanji breakdown: 憂 (u/yuu) — grief, sorrow, melancholy; い — nominalising okurigana
• Pronunciation: /ɯ.ɾe.i/

Meaning

Grief; sorrow; worry; anxiety. A deep, inward-looking melancholy or concern, often about the state of the world or one's circumstances.

A literary noun derived from the verb 憂える (ureeru, to grieve or worry). Unlike everyday 心配 (worry), 憂い carries a more profound and often philosophical weight — it is the sorrow of someone deeply aware of the world's impermanence or suffering. Common collocations include 憂いを帯びた (tinged with sorrow) and 憂いを抱く (to carry grief). Central to classical Japanese literary aesthetics.

Examples

1. 彼の詩には、時代への深い憂いが込められている。 His poetry is imbued with a deep sorrow for the times.
2. 社会の将来に対する憂いを胸に、彼女は政治の世界に飛び込んだ。 Carrying a profound worry about society's future, she plunged into the world of politics.
3. 憂いを帯びた目で窓の外を眺めながら、彼はぽつりと語り始めた。 Gazing out the window with eyes full of grief, he began to speak quietly.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, poetry, politics, philosophy

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Derived from the classical verb 憂える (ureeru), meaning to grieve or be deeply troubled. The kanji 憂 depicts heaviness of heart and was central to classical poetry expressing existential sorrow or concern for the transience of the world.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated