惜しい（おしい、oshii）
- regrettable

The Japanese word 惜しい primarily expresses a sense of regret, disappointment, or near miss. It conveys the feeling that something was almost, but not quite, achieved or that something desirable was missed. It can also imply a sense of pity or sympathy. The core meaning revolves around something being “a shame” or “close, but no cigar.”

⚫︎もう少しで合格だったのに、惜しい！ Translation: You were so close to passing, what a shame! ⚫︎ホームランだったのに、もう少しで届かなかった。惜しい！ Translation: It was almost a home run, but it didn't quite make it. What a shame! ⚫︎せっかく作った料理が、少し塩辛かった。惜しいな。 Translation: The dish I made was a little too salty. That's a pity.

⚫︎惜しい is used in various situations where something is nearly accomplished, but falls short, or when a desired outcome is missed. ⚫︎It's common when talking about missed opportunities, close calls in sports, or minor flaws in otherwise good work. ⚫︎You can use it to express empathy when someone experiences a near miss, or to express your own disappointment. ⚫︎The tone can range from lighthearted to genuinely regretful, depending on the context.

⚫︎惜しい is typically written in hiragana as おしい. ⚫︎The kanji form is 惜しい. ⚫︎The okurigana (送りがな), the hiragana following the kanji, is always い.

⚫︎残念（ざんねん） - Regrettable, unfortunate. (More general) ⚫︎悔しい（くやしい） - Frustrating, regrettable (expresses frustration). ⚫︎残念だ（ざんねんだ） - It's a pity, that's too bad. ⚫︎あと一歩（あと いっぽ） - Just one step away, almost there.

⚫︎There isn't a direct antonym, but words that express success or achievement are opposite in meaning. Some examples include: ⚫︎素晴らしい（すばらしい） - Wonderful, great ⚫︎成功（せいこう） - Success ⚫︎やった！ - Hooray!

試験で99点だった。あと1点だったのに、惜しい！ ・Translation: I got 99 points on the exam. I was just one point away. What a shame! ・Explanation: This sentence conveys the feeling of disappointment at being so close to a perfect score.

決勝戦で負けてしまった。惜しい試合だったけど、仕方がない。 ・Translation: I lost in the final. It was a close game, but it can't be helped. ・Explanation: This illustrates using 惜しい to express regret over a loss, despite acknowledging the opponent's victory.

⚫︎The etymology of 惜しい comes from the verb 惜しむ（おしむ）, meaning to regret, to feel sorry for, or to begrudge. ⚫︎The word evolved to express the feeling of regret and disappointment specifically when something is near but not achieved. ⚫︎The "い" ending is an adjective conjugation, turning the verb into an adjective.