疚

The glyph denotes a state of persistence or a lingering burden across two primary domains:

• Physiological: A chronic disease or lingering ailment.
• Psychological: Remorse and self-reproach rooted in perceived moral failure, unfulfilled obligation, or an internal sense of wrongdoing.

Primarily functions as a stative adjective or a noun describing a mental or physical state. It frequently modifies the "heart" (心) or "spirit/mind" (神).

To avoid flattening the translation, distinguish 疚 from related terms:

• 愧 (kuì): Shame; often involves an external gaze or the feeling of being disgraced in the eyes of others.
• 悔 (huǐ): Regret; typically focuses on a specific action and the desire to undo it.
• 疚 (jiù): The lingering internal state; the persistent weight of guilt remaining in the heart rather than the specific act or social standing.

• In medical contexts, avoid terms suggesting sudden onset (e.g., "acute"); use terminology that implies duration or a condition that has settled into the body.
• In psychological contexts, be cautious with the word "sorrow," which can be passive (such as mourning). 疚 is active and internal, implying a moral weight carried by the subject.