悲鳴

ひめい · himei · JLPT N1 · noun

scream

悲 (sad, grief) + 鳴 (cry out, sound): a sad cry of pain is a shriek

鳴 also means a sound or ring, as in 鳴笛 (a horn sounding). So 悲鳴 is a sound of anguish. The reading himei sounds like 'hi, May!' called out in alarm.

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