気の毒

• Reading: きのどく
• Romaji: kinodoku
• Kanji breakdown: 気 (ki) — spirit, feeling; 毒 (doku) — poison
• Pronunciation: /ki.no.do.kɯ/

Meaning

Pitiful; unfortunate; feeling sorry. Expresses sympathy for someone in a difficult situation.

A na-adjective expressing feelings of pity or sympathy, often used more formally than かわいそう. Common patterns include 気の毒に思う (to feel sorry for) and お気の毒に (I am sorry to hear that — a polite set phrase). Literally means 'poison to the spirit.'

Examples

1. 彼が試験に落ちたと聞いて気の毒に思った。 I felt sorry for him when I heard he failed the exam.
2. お気の毒に、大変でしたね。 I'm sorry to hear that — that must have been tough.
3. 気の毒な話だが、彼には伝えなければならない。 It's an unfortunate story, but we have to tell him.

Usage Guide

Context: sympathy, condolences, bad news

Tone: sympathetic

Origin & History

Compound of 気 (ki, spirit/feeling) + の (possessive) + 毒 (doku, poison). The literal meaning 'poison to the spirit' evolved to describe the painful feeling one has when witnessing another person's misfortune.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal