遗憾 (yíhàn)

遗憾 expresses regret, disappointment, or sorrow over something that did not happen, was lost, or went wrong, and is used across personal, official, and literary contexts at B2 level.

Meanings

[noun] regret; a sense of loss or disappointment
[verb] to regret; to feel sorry about
[adjective] regrettable; unfortunate

Example Sentences

他感到非常遗憾，因为错过了这次难得的机会。 Tā gǎndào fēicháng yíhàn, yīnwèi cuòguòle zhè cì nándé de jīhuì. He felt very regretful because he missed this rare opportunity.

这场比赛的结果令人遗憾，球队最终在点球大战中失利。 Zhè chǎng bǐsài de jiéguǒ lìng rén yíhàn, qiúduì zuìzhōng zài diǎnqiú dàzhàn zhōng shīlì. The result of this match was regrettable; the team ultimately lost in the penalty shootout.

我感到遗憾的是，我们没能在他有生之年多花时间陪伴他。 Wǒ gǎndào yíhàn de shì, wǒmen méi néng zài tā yǒushēng zhī nián duō huā shíjiān péibàn tā. What I regret is that we were unable to spend more time with him during his lifetime.

政府对这一事件的处理方式深感遗憾，并表示将进行调查。 Zhèngfǔ duì zhè yī shìjiàn de chǔlǐ fāngshì shēn gǎn yíhàn, bìng biǎoshì jiāng jìnxíng diàochá. The government expressed deep regret over the handling of this incident and stated that an investigation would be conducted.

人生中最大的遗憾，往往不是做了什么，而是没有去做。 Rénshēng zhōng zuì dà de yíhàn, wǎngwǎng bùshì zuòle shénme, ér shì méiyǒu qù zuò. The greatest regrets in life are often not the things we did, but the things we didn't do.

他的早逝是学术界的一大遗憾，许多重要的研究因此未能完成。 Tā de zǎoshì shì xuéshùjiè de yī dà yíhàn, xǔduō zhòngyào de yánjiū yīncǐ wèi néng wánchéng. His early death was a great regret for the academic world, as many important studies could not be completed as a result.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
感到遗憾 (gǎndào yíhàn)	feel regret
深感遗憾 (shēn gǎn yíhàn)	feel deeply regretful
令人遗憾 (lìng rén yíhàn)	regrettable
终身遗憾 (zhōngshēn yíhàn)	lifelong regret
表示遗憾 (biǎoshì yíhàn)	express regret
弥补遗憾 (mǐbǔ yíhàn)	make up for a regret

Usage Notes

遗憾 is used both for personal emotional regret and as a formal diplomatic expression of displeasure (e.g., 对...表示遗憾, to express regret about...). In diplomatic language, 表示遗憾 is a standard mild criticism or complaint, softer than 强烈谴责 (strongly condemn).

Compare with 后悔 (hòuhuǐ, to regret an action one took), which implies self-blame over a past decision. 遗憾 is broader and can include regret over things outside one's control, while 后悔 is always about one's own choices.

Memory Hook

遗 (to leave behind/lose) + 憾 (a feeling of being incomplete, with the heart radical) = a feeling of incompleteness left behind in the heart.