가난하다: be poor; be destitute; be in hardship financially. 내 친구네는 가난하다 (My friend's family is poor). 불쌍하다: pitiful; be in such a needy condition as to arouse sympathy. 내 친구는 너무 불쌍하다 (My friend's in a pitiful condition). 불쌍하다 can be because of many different reasons, including 가난하다. Its sense is very much like "My heart goes out to someone" or "something arouses my sympathy", Examples: - 길에 다리가 부러진 새가 있더라. 너무 불쌍해. I saw a bird with a broken leg on my way. My heart bleeds for her. - 난민들의 처지가 불쌍하다. The refugees' pitiful quandary arouse my sympathy. - 불쌍한 사람들에게 평안을!: Peace to the downtrodden people!