A1 Expression Formal

お気の毒に

Okinodoku ni

My condolences / I'm sorry to hear that

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A polite way to express sympathy when someone experiences bad luck or a difficult situation.

  • Means: 'I am sorry for your misfortune' or 'That is a pity.'
  • Used in: Expressing condolences, reacting to bad news, or showing empathy.
  • Don't confuse: Do not use this to apologize for your own mistakes.
Sad face + Sincere tone = Genuine empathy

Explanation at your level:

This is a polite way to say 'I am sorry to hear that' when someone has bad luck.
Use this phrase to show empathy. It is common when someone is sick or has had a bad day. It is more formal than just saying 'Zannen'.
This expression serves as a social buffer. It acknowledges the 'poison' or difficulty of a situation, allowing the speaker to show they are sharing the burden of the listener's misfortune.
It functions as a conventionalized expression of sympathy. It is essential in formal business or social contexts where one must maintain a distance while still appearing compassionate.
The phrase acts as a linguistic marker of 'omoiyari'. It demonstrates the speaker's mastery of Japanese social hierarchy and their ability to navigate delicate emotional exchanges with appropriate register.
From a cognitive linguistic perspective, this phrase maps the concept of 'poison' onto the emotional state of the interlocutor. It is a highly ritualized performance of empathy that reinforces the social bond between speaker and listener.

Significado

Expressing sympathy for someone's misfortune.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Sympathy is often expressed with a slight bow. Avoid overusing it for small things.

💡

Tone matters

Say it softly and sincerely.

Significado

Expressing sympathy for someone's misfortune.

💡

Tone matters

Say it softly and sincerely.

Ponte a prueba

Which is the correct way to show sympathy?

Friend: 'I lost my watch.'

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: お気の毒に

It is the only phrase expressing sympathy.

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

Yes, but be careful with the tone.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

残念ですね

synonym

That is a pity.

Dónde usarla

🤒

Friend is sick

A: 風邪を引いてしまいました。

B: それはお気の毒に。

neutral
📉

Colleague's project failed

A: プロジェクトが中止になりました。

B: それはお気の毒に。

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Ki' (spirit) getting 'Doku' (poisoned) by bad news.

Visual Association

Imagine a friend holding a heavy, dark cloud over their head. You reach out and say the phrase to help them lift it.

Story

Kenji lost his wallet. I felt bad for him. I walked up and said 'Okinodoku ni'. He felt better because I cared.

Word Web

残念同情気の毒お悔やみ大変悲しい

Desafío

Use this phrase in a roleplay where a friend tells you they lost their job.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Lo siento.

Okinodoku ni is never an apology.

French high

Je suis désolé.

Okinodoku ni is exclusively for sympathy.

German high

Das tut mir leid.

German is more direct.

Japanese high

残念です。

Okinodoku ni is more empathetic.

Arabic moderate

أنا آسف.

Arabic often includes religious invocations.

Easily Confused

お気の毒に vs 申し訳ありません

Learners use this for sympathy.

Use this for apologies, not sympathy.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

Yes, but be careful with the tone.

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