惜しい

おしい

regrettable, disappointing

Also:precious, too good for, almost (but not quite)

AdjectiveJLPT N2

What does 惜しい mean?

惜しい is a Japanese adjective meaning regrettable, disappointing in English. It can also be translated as precious, too good for, almost (but not quite) depending on context. It is written as 惜しい in kanji, おしい in hiragana, and oshii in romaji. This word is part of JLPT N2 vocabulary.

Example sentences

あなたほどの才能の持ち主が世間に知られずにいるのは惜しいことです。

It is a pity that a man of your ability should remain unknown to the world.

命は誰でも惜しい

Life is dear to everybody.

これはまだ捨てるには惜しい

This is still too good to be thrown away.