同情

• Reading: どうじょう
• Romaji: doujou
• Kanji breakdown: 同 (dō) — same, together; 情 (jō) — emotion, feeling, sympathy
• Pronunciation: /doː.dʑoː/

Meaning

Sympathy; compassion; pity. Feeling sorry for someone else's misfortune.

A noun and suru-verb (自動詞) meaning to feel sympathy or pity for someone. Can carry either a warm, compassionate nuance or a slightly condescending one depending on context. 同情する is the verb form, and 同情を買う (to gain sympathy) is a common collocation. Distinct from 共感 (empathy, relating to someone's experience) in that 同情 implies feeling sorry for someone.

Examples

1. 彼の境遇に同情せずにはいられない。 I can't help but feel sorry for his situation.
2. 同情だけでは問題は解決しない。 Sympathy alone won't solve the problem.
3. 泣き落としで同情を買おうとしている。 They're trying to win sympathy by turning on the tears.

Usage Guide

Context: interpersonal, news, social issues

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 同 (dō, same) + 情 (jō, feeling/emotion). Literally 'same emotion' — sharing the emotional burden of another's suffering.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal