Level 2

불쌍하다

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Meaning and Usage

"불쌍하다" is an adjective used to express pity or sympathy toward someone or something that is in a sad or unfortunate situation. It often conveys a feeling of compassion or sadness for others.

Common Contexts

This word is frequently used when talking about people, animals, or situations that evoke sympathy, such as children in hardship, stray animals, or people facing difficulties.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 불쌍하다 + 고 생각하다: to think someone/something is pitiful
  • 정말 불쌍하다: really pitiful
  • 불쌍한 사람/아이: a pitiful person/child

Register and Nuance

"불쌍하다" is generally informal to neutral in tone and can be used in everyday conversation. However, it can sometimes carry a slightly condescending nuance if used carelessly, implying the speaker feels superior.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "불쌍하다" with "안타깝다" (to feel sorry/regretful). "불쌍하다" focuses more on pity for someone’s unfortunate state, while "안타깝다" expresses regret or sadness about a situation without necessarily implying pity.

Example Sentences

그 아이가 혼자서 밥도 못 먹고 있어서 정말 불쌍해 보여요.

Geu aiga honjaseo bapdo mot meokgo isseoseo jeongmal bulssanghae boyeoyo.

That child looks really pitiful because he can't even eat alone.

불쌍하다고 생각해서 도와주고 싶었어요.

Bulssanghadago saenggakhaeseo dowajugo sipeosseoyo.

I thought it was pitiful, so I wanted to help.

그 사람은 불쌍하다기보다 오히려 불쌍한 척하는 것 같아요.

Geu sarameun bulssanghadagiboda ohiryeo bulssanghan cheokhaneun geot gatayo.

Rather than being pitiful, that person seems to be pretending to be pitiful.