可惜 kěxī — it’s a pity, unfortunate, regrettable
kěxī (third tone, dipping)ke3xi1
it’s a pity, unfortunate, regrettable
HSK 4· HSK 1–4 (classic)adjective
Meanings
it’s a pity, unfortunate, regrettable
可, worth, and 惜, to treasure — something worth treasuring that slipped away. It comments on a situation, most often standing alone as 真可惜 or opening a sentence, rather than describing how a person themself feels.
adjective
Example sentences
- 他没考上大学，真可惜。他沒考上大學，真可惜。Tā (first tone, high and level) méi (second tone, rising) kǎoshàng (third tone, dipping) dàxué, (fourth tone, falling) zhēn (first tone, high and level) kěxī. (third tone, dipping)···
He didn’t get into university — what a pity.
- 可惜今天下雨，不能去公园了。可惜今天下雨，不能去公園了。Kěxī (third tone, dipping) jīntiān (first tone, high and level) xià (fourth tone, falling) yǔ, (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) qù (fourth tone, falling) gōngyuán (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)···
It’s a pity it’s raining today — we can’t go to the park.
Common mistakes
Not quite他没考上大学，他很可惜。
Correct他没考上大学，真可惜。
可惜 comments on the situation, not on how a person feels — 真可惜 stands on its own as a remark on the event. What he himself feels is 难过; what happened is 可惜.