- fukou unhappiness, sorrow, misfortune, disaster, accident; death (usu. of a relative), bereavement
Used in everyday speech and writing to describe personal or general misfortune, unhappiness, or tragedy. It is more neutral and broader than 'fukouhei' (injustice).
彼は不幸な事故で亡くなった。
Kare wa fukou na jiko de nakunatta.
He died in an unfortunate accident.
彼女は不幸にも財布をなくした。
Kanojo wa fukou ni mo saifu o nakushita.
Unfortunately, she lost her wallet.
⚖️ Commonly confused with 'fuun' (misfortune), which is more formal and often refers to a broader stroke of bad luck, whereas 'fukou' is more personal and used for general unhappiness.
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