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悔い改め (くいあらため) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
repentance ; penitence
Refers to sincere regret and a change of heart, often with a moral or religious connotation. Commonly used in Christian contexts, but also in general ethical reflection.
悔く い 改あらた め の 心こころ が なけれ ば 、 真しん の 成せい 長ちょう は ない 。
Without a repentant heart, there is no true growth.
Written forms 悔く い 改あらた め Usage 100%
Standard spelling using both kanji.
悔くい 改あらた め
Variant spelling omitting the okurigana い; less common but attested.
Kanji 改 reformation, change, modify Similar words 後こう 悔かい 後悔 is general regret about past actions, while 悔い改め implies a deeper moral turning away and change of behavior.
反はん 省せい 反省 is reflection on one's actions, often with a sense of self-criticism, but does not necessarily carry the same weight of moral transformation as 悔い改め.
Etymology Compound of 悔い (regret) and 改め (reform, change), from the verbs 悔いる and 改める. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally expresses the concept of repentant change.
