寂しい

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 一人の夜は寂しいです。▶ —
   Nights alone are lonely.
2. 友達が引っ越して、とても寂しくなりました。▶ —
   My friend moved away, and I became very lonely.

Collocations

Mnemonic

寂しい sabishii — kanji 寂 (quiet, still) + the i-adjective ending しい. The character 寂 underlies words for stillness; the loneliness here grows out of that quietness. Both readings さびしい and さみしい are accepted. 寂しくなる is "to become lonely," 寂しそう is "to look lonely."

Quick check

1. Which two readings of 寂しい are both accepted?

   • さびしい / さみしい
   • さびしい / じゃくしい
   • せきしい / さみしい
   • さみしい / せいしい