惨
wretched · disaster · cruelty · harsh
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of heart and three. Heart becoming miserable.
Symbolism
Tragic, misery, crushing defeat. Represents misery.
Component Breakdown
heart + 参
Words & Expressions
Words written with 惨
Four-Character Compounds
苦心惨憺
くしんさんたん
taking great pains
意匠惨憺
いしょうさんたん
taxing one's ingenuity in devising something; agonizing over designing or creating something; making strenuous efforts to devise good ways and means to do something
疾痛惨憺
しっつうさんたん
terrible worry; extreme anxiety
Proverbs & Idioms
惨を極める
さんをきわめる
To reach the depths of misery
Being in an extremely tragic situation
Other kanji with the same meaning
“wretched”
“cruelty”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 惨 mean in Japanese?
惨 means wretched, disaster, cruelty, harsh.
How do you read 惨?
On'yomi: サン、ザン (SAN, ZAN). Kun'yomi: みじ.め、いた.む、むご.い (mijime, itamu, mugoi).
How many strokes does 惨 have?
惨 has 11 strokes. Its radical is 心 (heart).
Is 惨 a good kanji for a tattoo?
惨 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means wretched, disaster, cruelty, harsh. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.