惜しい
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Base i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Describes feelings of regret, disappointment, or something being a close miss.
Theme
Two friends, Ken and User, are watching a baseball game at a local park. Ken is a big fan of the home team, and User is cheering along with him.
惜しい
おしい
regrettable, disappointing
Core Language Building BlocksCore Adjectives
Memory Hook
Imagine missing a bus by a second and saying, 'Oh, that's so regrettable!' — 'Oh-shee' sounds like 『惜しい』 (oshii, 'regrettable'). 'Oh-shee!' → 惜しい (oshii, 'regrettable').
Cultural Note
『惜しい』 (oshii) is often used in sports or games to express disappointment, like when a player narrowly misses a goal. It can also describe something valuable that's wasted, reflecting Japanese values of efficiency and appreciation.
Forms
Base: 惜しいBase i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Describes feelings of regret, disappointment, or something being a close miss.
Negative: 惜しくないDrop 『い』 → add 『くない』 (kunai, negative) → 『惜しくない』 (oshikunai).
Past: 惜しかったDrop 『い』 → add 『かった』 (katta, past) → 『惜しかった』 (oshikatta).
Adverbial: 惜しくDrop 『い』 → add 『く』 (ku, adverbial) → 『惜しく』 (oshiku).
Comparative: より惜しいComparative formed with modifier 『より』 (yori, 'more than') + base adjective.
Superlative: 一番惜しいSuperlative formed with 『一番』 (ichiban, 'number one / Most') + adjective.