Have you ever been in a situation where you want to comfort someone, but phrases like「頑張って」(Hang in there) or「大変ですね」(That must be tough) feel empty and shallow? 🤔 Especially when their pain is too great or too private, like family issues or health problems.

This is when Japanese people with deep life experience deploy a higher-level empathy weapon: 「お察しします」(Osasshi shimasu).

What is「お察しします」? ✨

The root word「察する」(sassuru) means to infer, to sense, to read between the lines, to understand what is not explicitly said.

Therefore,「お察しします」is not just a simple "I understand." It carries a much deeper nuance:

"I can't know exactly what you've been through, but I can imagine and empathize with your feelings and hardships right now."

This is the pinnacle of subtlety. It shows that you respect their privacy, you're not prying for details, but you're letting them know that you're there for them and that you truly get it.

Comparison with「大変ですね」

• 大変ですね (Taihen desu ne): You see a fact (e.g., a colleague working late) and you comment on it. It focuses on the action/situation.
• お察しします (Osasshi shimasu): You don't need to see anything. You just hear the story and sense the other person's inner feelings. It focuses on the emotion/mood.

'Golden' Situations to Use It 🤝

1. When someone experiences a family loss:

   A:「先週、実家で飼っていた犬が亡くなってしまって…」 (Last week, the dog we had at my parents' house passed away...) B:「そうでしたか…。お気持ち、お察しします。」 (I see... I can only imagine how you must feel.)

2. When a colleague has to deal with a difficult situation:

   A:「昨日、例のクレーマー対応で一日中潰れたよ。」 (Yesterday, my whole day was ruined dealing with that infamous complainer.) B:「うわー、心中お察しします。」 (Wow, I truly sympathize with your hardship.) 💡 Tip: Use「心中お察しします」(shinchuu osasshi shimasu) to emphasize empathy from the bottom of your heart.

3. When a friend is going through something they can't talk about openly:

   A:「最近、ちょっと色々あってさ…」 (Lately, I've just been going through a lot...) B:「そっか。詳しいことは聞かないけど、お察しします。」 (I see. I won't ask for details, but I get it.)

This phrase demonstrates maturity and depth in communication. Use it to connect with others in the most sincere and refined way! ❤️