Ki no Doku (気の毒 - Feeling Sorry)

Ki no Doku

To be sorry or have sympathy for someone's misfortune or suffering is described as 'ki no doku' (気の毒) in Japanese.

Since 'ki' (気) means "feelings/heart" and 'doku' (毒) means "poison," the literal meaning of 'ki no doku' is "poison of feelings."

This phrase was originally used to refer to something that makes you feel bad like poison.

Later, it has come to have its current meaning, because someone's misfortune or suffering also makes you feel bad.

When expressing one's feelings of sympathy to a person who has suffered misfortune, Japanese people usually say 'oki no doku ni' (お気の毒に - "I'm sorry to hear that").

気の毒

他人に不幸や苦痛などに同情し、心を痛めることを、日本語で「気の毒」といいます。

「気」は "feeling/heart"、「毒」は "poison" を意味するので、「気の毒」の文字どおりの意味は "poison of feeling" となります。

この表現は、本来は文字どおり、単に気分を害するものの意味で使われていました。

他人に不幸があった際も、同じように心苦しくなることから、現在の意味を持つようになったというわけです。

不幸にあった人に対して「気の毒」に思う気持ちを伝えるときは、「お気の毒に」ということが多いです。

• To be sorry or have sympathy for someone's misfortune or suffering is described as 'ki no doku' (気の毒) in Japanese.
• To feel sorry for someone or have sympathy for someone's misfortune or suffering is described as 'ki no doku' (気の毒) in Japanese.