Mnemonic
A hundred mourners gather around the crown of a dead king. A ninja kneels closest, his heart shattered with sorrow — he was sworn to protect his lord, yet he failed. The weight of that sorrow will follow him forever.
Additional thoughts
Picture the ninja clutching the crown to his chest, surrounded by a hundred grieving subjects. His personal guilt transforms ordinary sadness into soul-deep sorrow. The heart radical sits at the core of the kanji, just as grief sits at his core.Quick recall
A hundred subjects mourn the crowned king while the ninja's heart drowns in sorrow over his failure.Details
The keyword for 憂 is sorrow. This kanji conveys a deep sense of grief, melancholy, and emotional distress that weighs heavily on the heart. It refers to the kind of profound sadness or anxiety one feels when troubled by worries, loss, or concern for the future. It can also carry the nuance of lamenting over a situation or feeling apprehensive about something beyond one's control.
- On'yomi
- ゆう
- Kun'yomi
- うれ.える、うれ.い、う.い、う.き