What term describes the feeling of compassion for or understanding the difficulties of another person?

The term that best describes the feeling of compassion for or understanding the difficulties of another person is empathy. Empathy involves not just recognizing someone else's feelings, but also deeply understanding and sharing their emotional experience. When you empathize with someone, you can put yourself in their shoes and appreciate what they are going through on a personal level. This understanding can lead to a stronger connection and support for that person.

While sympathy does involve acknowledging someone else's difficulties, it often carries a sense of pity or feeling sorry for them, rather than the deep emotional connection that empathy fosters. Compassion, although related, emphasizes the desire to help others who are suffering, and kindness refers to a general disposition of being considerate and helpful towards others. Therefore, empathy is the most accurate term that captures the essence of truly understanding and feeling for another person's struggles.