あたたかい

あたたかい

Japanese

Alternative spellings
暖かい 温かい

Etymology

Shift in usage from older -na adjective form あたたか (atataka).[1][2] First cited in 1703.[3]

Via root あたた (atata-), cognate with 温める (atatameru, “to warm something”, transitive) and 温まる (atatamaru, “to get warm”, intransitive).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あたたか​い [àtátákáꜜì] (Nakadaka – [4])[2][4][5]
• IPA^(key): [a̠ta̠ta̠ka̠i]

• Audio

  (file)

• (Kyoto) あたたかい [átátáꜜkàì][6]

Adjective

あたたかい • (atatakai) -i (adverbial あたたかく (atatakaku))

1. [from 1780] physically warm
2. [from 1703] financially well off, rich
3. [from 1907] thoughtful, understanding, emotionally warm

Usage notes

• Depending on the author, the different kanji spellings might be used to distinguish specific nuances of meaning. 暖(あたた)かい (atatakai) may emphasize "surrounding warmth", primarily the temperature of the weather, but also a warm and cozy sweater or futon (as opposed to one that is physically hot, such as from the dryer or heated by an electric blanket). By contrast, 温(あたた)かい (atatakai) emphasizes the temperature of objects or the subjective impression of feelings.

Inflection

Inflection of あたたかい

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	あたたかかろ	atatakakaro
Continuative (連用形)	あたたかく	atatakaku
Terminal (終止形)	あたたかい	atatakai
Attributive (連体形)	あたたかい	atatakai
Hypothetical (仮定形)	あたたかけれ	atatakakere
Imperative (命令形)	あたたかかれ	atatakakare
Key constructions
Informal negative	あたたかくない	atatakaku nai
Informal past	あたたかかった	atatakakatta
Informal negative past	あたたかくなかった	atatakaku nakatta
Formal	あたたかいです	atatakai desu
Formal negative	あたたかくないです	atatakaku nai desu
Formal past	あたたかかったです	atatakakatta desu
Formal negative past	あたたかくなかったです	atatakaku nakatta desu
Conjunctive	あたたかくて	atatakakute
Conditional	あたたかければ	atatakakereba
Provisional	あたたかかったら	atatakakattara
Volitional	あたたかかろう	atatakakarō
Adverbial	あたたかく	atatakaku
Degree	あたたかさ	atatakasa

Antonyms

• 冷(つめ)たい (tsumetai, “cold or cool (of an object or a person's attitude)”)
• 涼(すず)しい (suzushii, “cool (as of weather)”)

Coordinate terms

• 熱(あつ)い (atsui, “hot (of an object)”)
• 寒(さむ)い (samui, “cold (of the weather)”)

Derived terms

• あったかい (attakai, “warm”, informal abbreviation)

References

1. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
3. “暖・温”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN
4. 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
5. 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
6. 2002, 京阪系アクセント辞典 (A Dictionary of Tone on Words of the Keihan-type Dialects) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Bensei, →ISBN