明かり

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

Japanese

Kanji in this term
明
あ
Grade: 2
kun'yomi
Alternative spellings
明り
明
灯かり
灯り
灯

Etymology

The 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 明(あ)かる (akaru, “to become bright”)..[1][2][3]

This term originally referred to natural light, while the sense of lamp or lighting was expressed using the term 灯火 (tomoshibi, literally “set alight + fire”). The term akari gained its modern lighting sense during the late Edo period, and has now largely displaced tomoshibi for this sense.[1]

Pronunciation

Noun

明(あ)かり • (akari) 

  1. light
    Synonym: 光 (hikari)
  2. 灯り: lighting, a light, a lamp, artificial illumination
    Synonyms: 照明 (shōmei), (archaic) 灯火 (tomoshibi), ランプ (ranpu), 電灯 (dentō, specifically electric light), 電気 (denki, specifically electric light)
    明(あ)かりを点(つ)ける。
    Akari o tsukeru.
    Turn on the light.
  3. a bright place; (figurative) a public place
  4. a positive sign amidst adversity (compare English light at the end of the tunnel)
  5. (figurative) evidence that dispels a question or doubt
    Synonym: 証し (akashi)
  6. (figurative) the end of a period of time or a dark mood (compare English dawn, daybreak)
    Synonym: 明け (ake, literally “dawn”)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 “明かり”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
  2. ^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  4. ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia