The kanji 惜 primarily conveys the feeling of "reluctance," "pity," "regret," or "to begrudge." It often describes a sense of value or fondness for something and the sadness or disappointment associated with its loss or waste. It can relate to both tangible and intangible things, such as time, resources, opportunities, or relationships. It also carries the nuance of valuing something highly and not wanting to see it diminished.

・On-yomi (音読み): セキ (seki) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): お（しい） (oshii)

⚫︎ 惜しいことに、彼は試合に負けてしまった。 Translation: Regrettably, he lost the match. ⚫︎ 時間を惜しんで勉強する。 Translation: To study diligently, making the most of one's time (literally: to value time). ⚫︎ この美しい風景を惜しむ。 Translation: To cherish this beautiful scenery.

The kanji 惜 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phono-semantic compound character. Its structure is composed of two parts: The semantic component is 忄 (りっしんべん - "kokoro", or "heart"), which suggests emotion or feeling. The phonetic component is 昔 (むかし - "mukashi", or "past"), which provides a sound clue for the reading. The combination suggests the feeling or emotion associated with something in the past, often a sense of regret or longing. This formation emphasizes that "惜" relates to an emotional state tied to value, loss, or not wanting to lose something.