# 惜 — begrudge; it's a pity

惜 means “begrudge; it's a pity”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 11 strokes. On'yomi: セキ (seki). Kun'yomi: お(しい) (oshii). You'll see it in words such as 惜しむ (oshimu, “to spare; to grudge”).

- Meaning: begrudge; it's a pity
- On'yomi: セキ (seki)
- Kun'yomi: お(しい) (oshii)
- Strokes: 11
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Feelings 4

## How to remember 惜

Sounds like 昔: both read セキ.

Parts: 忄 heart · 昔 long ago

## Words with 惜

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 惜しむ | おしむ (oshimu) | to spare; to grudge |
| 惜しい | おしい (oshii) | regrettable; disappointing |

## Don't confuse it with

[昔](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/long-ago/) · [普](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/universal/) · [措](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/set-aside/) · [恒](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/constant/)

## More in the “Feelings 4” set

[謙](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/humble/) · [嘆](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/sigh/) · [寂](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/lonely/) · [憂](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/melancholy/) · [惜](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/begrudge/) · [憾](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/remorse/) · [忍](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/put-up-with/) · [怠](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/lazy/) · [哀](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/pity/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/begrudge/. Last updated 2026-11-01.