Shinpai is a common Japanese word that means worry. It is commonly used in its verb form, Shinpai-shimasu, to worry. Another very common phrase is simply “Shinpai desune”, which simply means, “It’s worrisome.”

As Japanese culture is very polite, you will often hear people using the word to apologize when causing others to worry, or otherwise telling other people not to worry.

Another word that stems from the root word Shinpai, is Shinpaishou, which is the Japanese word meaning worrywart, or someone who tends to worry a lot. For example, you can say “Uchi no haha wa shinpaishou desu” to mean “My mother is a worrywart.”

The first part of Shinpai, “shin”, is written using the Chinese character for heart. Another useful term that also uses shin is the “anshin”, which means to be at ease, or be at peace. To tell someone not to worry, you can either use shinpai and say “Shinpai shinaide kudasai”, or you can use anshin and say “Anshin shite kudasai” in the positive form, meaning, “please be at ease.”

Let’s remember the following useful sentences before going to Japan!

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●Shinpai kakete, hontouni sumimasen deshita.
(心配かけて、本当にすみませんでした。)
> I’m really sorry for causing you to worry.

●Daijoubu desuyo. Shinpai shinaide kudasaine!
(大丈夫ですよ。心配しないでくださいね！)
> I’m okay. You don’t need to worry!

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Now all that’s left is to go out there and try using them in Japan!

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Tabe-houdai (食べ放題) Fun! Japan Words vol.149