幸い

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See also: 辛い

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
さいわ
Grade: 3
kun'yomi

/sakipapi//sakiɸaɸi//sakiwawi//sakiwai//saiwai/

Derived from sakiwai below.[1][2]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final to indicate the reading.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Adjective

(さいわ) (saiwaiさいはひ (saifafi)?-na (adnominal (さいわ) (saiwai na), adverbial (さいわ) (saiwai ni))

  1. very fortunate and happy, especially as bestowed by gods, spirits, buddhas, or other entities
  2. favorable, ideal (often used in polite constructions)
    (へん)()いただければ(さいわ)です
    O-henji o itadakereba saiwai desu.
    It would be favorable if I could have your reply. → I would greatly appreciate your reply.
Inflection

Adverb

(さいわ) (saiwaiさいはひ (saifafi)?

  1. fortunately, luckily, happily
    (さいわい)()()(にん)はでなかった。
    Saiwai, keganin wa denakatta.
    Luckily, no one was hurt.
Usage notes

When used as an adverb without a particle, this term usually comes at the start of the sentence. It also appears used with adverbial particles (ni) and (to), or, perhaps more commonly, in an adverbial construction as 幸なことに.

Noun

(さいわ) (saiwaiさいはひ (saifafi)?

  1. very good fortune and happiness, especially as bestowed by gods, spirits, buddhas, or other entities
  2. an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
  3. (derivation unknown) the tail and back fins of a carp or other fish, as used in cooking
Synonyms

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
さきわ
Grade: 3
kun'yomi

/sakipapi//sakiɸaɸi//sakiwahi//sakiwai/

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, continuative or stem form) of verb 幸う (sakiwau, to meet with good fortune; to prosper), itself a compound of (saki, good fortune, happiness) +‎ 這う (hau, to spread out widely).[1]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final to indicate the reading.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

(さきわ) (sakiwaiさきはひ (sakifafi)?

  1. (obsolete) an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
  2. (obsolete) good luck or good fortune itself
Usage notes

Obsolete in modern Japanese, replaced by saiwai above.

Synonyms

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
さちわ
Grade: 3
kun'yomi

/sat͡ɕipapi//sat͡ɕiɸaɸi//sat͡ɕiwahi//sat͡ɕiwai/

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, continuative or stem form) of verb 幸う (sachiwau, to meet with good fortune; to prosper), itself a compound of (sachi, good fortune, happiness) +‎ 這う (hau, to spread out widely).[1]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final to indicate the reading.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

(さちわ) (sachiwaiさちはひ (satifafi)?

  1. (obsolete, rare) an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
  2. (obsolete, rare) good luck or good fortune itself
Usage notes

Obsolete in modern Japanese, replaced by saiwai above. In historical Japanese, sachiwai appears to be a rarer variant of sakiwai above.

Synonyms

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN