じゃ

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word じゃ. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word じゃ, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say じゃ in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word じゃ you have here. The definition of the word じゃ will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofじゃ, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

Japanese

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Syllable

じゃ (ja

  1. The hiragana syllable じゃ (ja). Its equivalent in katakana is ジャ (ja).

Etymology 2

Contraction of では (de wa).

Alternative forms

Conjunction

じゃ (jaぢや (dya)?

  1. (colloquial) so, then—used for connecting to a reasonable conclusion, supposition

Interjection

じゃ (jaぢや (dya)?

  1. well; then; so
  2. by extension from the "so then" meaning: bye, goodbye
    じゃね!
    Ja ne!
    See you!

Etymology 3

Contraction of である (de aru, to be, to exist).

Verb

じゃ (jaぢや (dya)?

  1. to be
    わしはわしじゃ
    Washi wa washi ja.
    I am me.
Usage notes

Variation on the Japanese copula (da) used in western Japan, such as in Chūgoku, Shikoku, or Kyūshū; particularly common in Hiroshima. The use of じゃ (ja) is also common in fictional dialogue attributed to archaic characters. In Kansai, じゃ (ja) changed to (ya) in the late Edo period.

Conjugation

Etymology 4

Kanji reading.

Noun

じゃ (ja

  1. : generic name for a large snake; a heavy drinker
  2. : a moral wrong; a bad attitude; maliciousness, wickedness; such a person
  3. : short for 麝香 (jakō, musk); short for 麝香鹿 (jakōjika, musk deer)