気の毒
きのどく · kinodoku · JLPT N3 · na-adj
pitiful
気 spirit + の of + 毒 poison = poison to the spirit: a pity
気 (ki) is your spirit or feelings and 毒 (doku) means poison. Seeing someone's misfortune acts like a poison on your own feelings, so 気の毒 means pitiful or a pity. Say 気の毒ですね for 'what a shame'.
毒 — grass 屮 on top + 母 (mother/below)
Originally an associative compound showing a toxic plant (the 屮/生 element on top) over 毋, suggesting something harmful that must be forbidden. The early meaning was 'poisonous herb,' which broadened to 'poison,' 'toxic,' and figuratively 'cruel' or 'malicious.' The modern form keeps this top-plant + bottom-warning structure.