wretched, disaster, tragic
悲惨（ひさん）、惨め（みじめ）、惨事（さんじ）
miserable, wretched, disaster
On-reading (サン) is used in compounds; kun-reading (みじ(め)) is used standalone or with okurigana. Appears in many compounds — memorize the key ones rather than the kanji in isolation. Has multiple meanings (wretched; disaster; tragic). Context determines which applies — pay attention in reading passages. This kanji forms verbs/adjectives with okurigana. Practice both the word form and compound forms.
From the JLP Quiz question bank — the word in the form it is actually tested in.
「惨憺」の意味として最も適切なものはどれか。
Answer: ひどくみじめで悲惨なさま
戦争の惨状を描いたこの写真は、直視する___ものだ。
Answer: にたえない
被災地の惨状を目の当たりにして、胸が痛む___。
Answer: にたえない
あの凄惨な映像を目にすると、言葉を失わ___。
Answer: ずにはいられない
