正しい

Japanese

Etymology 1

Derived from 直 (tada, “straight; direct; straightforward”) +‎ し (-shi, adjective-forming suffix, origin of and superseded by modern しい (shii)).

First appears in 858 CE in the 大智度論 (Daichido-ron), the Japanese rendering of the Chinese text Da zhidu lun. Used primarily in 漢文訓読 (kanbun kundoku, “Japanese-language readings of Classical Chinese texts”, literally “Chinese text, meaning (Japanese) reading”) contexts, with almost no usage in 和文 (wabun, “Japanese texts”) or kana contexts until after the Heian Period.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ただし​い (Nakadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Adjective

正(ただ)しい • (tadashii) -i (adverbial 正(ただ)しく (tadashiku))

1. (physically) true, straight, unwarped, unskewed, proper
2. (abstractly) correct, right, true

Inflection

Etymology 2

Derived from 正 (masa, “right, proper; just, fair; straight-grained (as of wood); straight”) +‎ し (-shi, adjective-forming suffix, superseded in modern usage by しい (shii)).

First appears in an 830 CE copy of the 金光明最勝王経 (Konkōmyō Saishō Ō Kyō, “Golden Light Sutra”) in a 漢文訓読 (kanbun kundoku, “Japanese-language readings of Classical Chinese texts”, literally “Chinese text, meaning (Japanese) reading”) context, and later phonetically in the 905 CE work 古今和歌集 (Kokin Wakashū, “Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times”).

Still in use in the early 1600s, then apparently falling into partial disuse. The full adjective form masashii is no longer included in some dictionaries. Persists in dialect in the modern language, and as adverbial form 正しく (masashiku).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) まさし​い (Nakadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Adjective

正(まさ)しい • (masashii) -i (adverbial 正(まさ)しく (masashiku))

1. (uncommon, dialect) factual, true, correct, accurate
2. (uncommon, dialect) genuine, real
3. (uncommon, dialect) actual, real, certain

Inflection

Derived terms

• 正(まさ)しく (masashiku)

References