嘆願

• Reading: たんがん
• Romaji: tangan
• Kanji breakdown: 嘆 (tan) — sigh, lament, grieve; 願 (gan) — wish, request, pray
• Pronunciation: /taɴ.ɡaɴ/

Meaning

Entreaty; appeal; petition. An earnest, often desperate plea to someone in authority.

A noun and suru-verb for making a heartfelt, desperate appeal or petition, typically to authority figures. Carries a strong emotional weight — the person making the 嘆願 is often in a difficult situation. Common collocations include 嘆願書 (petition/written appeal), 嘆願する (to entreat/petition), and 減刑を嘆願する (to petition for a reduced sentence). More emotionally charged than 要請 (yousei, request) or 請願 (seigan, formal petition).

Examples

1. 被告の家族が減刑を嘆願する手紙を裁判所に送った。 The defendant's family sent a letter to the court petitioning for a reduced sentence.
2. 住民たちは環境保護のために嘆願書を提出した。 The residents submitted a petition for environmental protection.
3. 母親は涙ながらに息子の釈放を嘆願した。 The mother tearfully pleaded for her son's release.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, politics, advocacy

Tone: emotional

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 嘆 (tan, sigh/lament/grieve) + 願 (gan, wish/request/pray). Literally 'a lamenting wish' — a plea made with such emotion that it involves sighing or grief.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal