惜しい

惜しい (-i inflection, hiragana おしい, rōmaji oshii)

1. unfortunate, regrettable

   終 (お)わってしまうのは本 (ほん)当 (とう)に惜 (お)しい

   owatteshimau no wa hontō ni oshii

   it's really a pity that it has ended

2. a waste, too good for
3. precious

   説明 (せつめい)する時 (じ)間 (かん)が惜 (お)しい

   setsumei suru jikan ga oshii

   there is little time to explain

   (literally, “time for explaining is precious”)

4. close; almost; close but no cigar; barely and unfortunately/regrettably missing the mark

   惜 (お)しいけど仕方 (しかた)ない

   oshii kedo shikata nai

   so close! but it can't be helped

   今 (いま)のは惜 (お)しい

   ima no wa oshii

   that was so close!