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言わん方無し. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
言わん方無し, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
言わん方無し in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
言わん方無し you have here. The definition of the word
言わん方無し will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
言わん方無し, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Japanese
Etymology
/ipan kata nasi/ → /iɸan kata nasi/ → /iwan kata nasi/. iwan is a contraction of iwamu, from the verb 言う (iu, “to say”) in 未然形 (“irrealis”) form (iwa) plus the subjective particle む (mu). Can be thus interpreted literally as “there is no seeming way of saying”.
Idiom
言わん方無し • (iwan kata nashi) ←いはんかたなし (ifankatanasi)?
- there are no words to describe it
- 1008-1010: Murasaki Shikibu Nikki
秋のけはひ入たつままに、土御門殿の有さま、いはむ方なくをかし。- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- 1832-33: Shunshoku Umegoyomi (volume 1)
[...]人品賎しからねども、薄命なる人なりけん、貧苦にせまる其うへに、此ほど病の床にふし、不自由いわん方もなき、容体もときの吉不詳[...]- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
References
- Hasegawa, Masaharu with Yūichirō Imanishi, Hiroshi Itō, Hiroshi Yoshioka (1989) Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 24: Tosa Nikki, Kagerō Nikki, Murasaki Shikibu Nikki, Sarashina Nikki, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
- Nakamura, Yukihiko (1968) Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 64: Shunshoku Umegoyomi, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN