penitence: implies sad and humble realization of and regret for one's misdeeds: willing to forgive when faced with the outward signs of ~.    sad泛指伤心，表示心里痛苦、难过 humble谦卑 misdeed: a bad or evil act错误行径不端行为=wrongdoing (很容易错写成’pentinence’，记忆窍门: 联想penny发音，想成因为1分钱忏悔)  


repentance: adds the implication of an awareness of one's shortcomings and a resolve to change: a complete change of character accompanied his ~.    忏悔repent原本是宗教用语，比悔过多了决心改正的意思，平时也比较常用


contrition: stresses the sorrowful regret that accompanies true penitence: the beatings were usually followed by tearful expressions of ~.


compunction: implies a painful sting of conscience for past or especially for contemplated wrongdoing: have no ~ about taking back what is mine.      


remorse: suggest prolonged and insistent self-reproach and mental anguish for past wrongs especially for those whose consequences can not be remedied: swindlers are not usually plagued by feelings of ~.   anguish精神极度痛苦  中文中懊悔指因过错而自恨


penitence悔过: 为错误而伤心地后悔，repentance忏悔: 表示进一步认识到缺点并决心改正，contrition悔过: 强调悲伤地悔过，compunction内疚愧疚: 指(罪过感或羞耻感)刺痛良心，remorse懊悔悔恨: 因无法挽回的错误长期自恨、极度痛苦


记忆方法: 1) 首字母联想重组为PRC中国RC如此<==知过必改，懂得忏悔

        2) 忏悔的意思是为错误罪过而后悔mean regret for sin or wrongdoing.首字母联想重组为PRC中国RC如此<==知过必改，懂得忏悔