幸い

幸い

See also: 辛い

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
幸
さいわ Grade: 3
kun’yomi

/sakipapi/ → /sakiɸaɸi/ → /sakiwahi/ → /sakiwai/ → /saiwai/

Derived from sakiwai below.[1][2]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final い to indicate the reading.

Alternative forms

• 幸

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
  • (Tokyo) さいわい [sàíwáí] (Heiban – [0])[2]
  • IPA^(key): [sa̠iɰᵝa̠i]

Adjective

幸い (-na inflection, hiragana さいわい, rōmaji saiwai, historical hiragana さいはひ)

1. very fortunate and happy, especially as bestowed by gods, spirits, buddhas, or other entities
2. favorable, ideal (often used in polite constructions)

   お返事 (へんじ)をいただければ幸 (さいわ)いです。

   Ohenji o itadakereba saiwai desu.

   It would be favorable if I could have your reply. → I would greatly appreciate your reply.

Inflection

Inflection of 幸い

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	幸いだろ	さいわいだろ	saiwai daro
Continuative (連用形)	幸いで	さいわいで	saiwai de
Terminal (終止形)	幸いだ	さいわいだ	saiwai da
Attributive (連体形)	幸いな	さいわいな	saiwai na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	幸いなら	さいわいなら	saiwai nara
Imperative (命令形)	幸いであれ	さいわいであれ	saiwai de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	幸いではない 幸いじゃない	さいわいではない さいわいじゃない	saiwai de wa nai saiwai ja nai
Informal past	幸いだった	さいわいだった	saiwai datta
Informal negative past	幸いではなかった 幸いじゃなかった	さいわいではなかった さいわいじゃなかった	saiwai de wa nakatta saiwai ja nakatta
Formal	幸いです	さいわいです	saiwai desu
Formal negative	幸いではありません 幸いじゃありません	さいわいではありません さいわいじゃありません	saiwai de wa arimasen saiwai ja arimasen
Formal past	幸いでした	さいわいでした	saiwai deshita
Formal negative past	幸いではありませんでした 幸いじゃありませんでした	さいわいではありませんでした さいわいじゃありませんでした	saiwai de wa arimasen deshita saiwai ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	幸いで	さいわいで	saiwai de
Conditional	幸いなら（ば）	さいわいなら（ば）	saiwai nara (ba)
Provisional	幸いだったら	さいわいだったら	saiwai dattara
Volitional	幸いだろう	さいわいだろう	saiwai darō
Adverbial	幸いに	さいわいに	saiwai ni
Degree	幸いさ	さいわいさ	saiwaisa

Adverb

幸い (hiragana さいわい, rōmaji saiwai, historical hiragana さいはひ)

1. fortunately, luckily, happily

   幸 (さいわい)、怪 (け)我 (が)はなかった。

   Saiwai, kega wa nakatta.

   Luckily, no one was hurt.

Usage notes

When used as an adverb without a particle, this term usually comes at the start of the sentence. It also appears used with advervial particles に (ni) and と (to), or, perhaps more commonly, in an adverbial construction as 幸なことに.

Noun

幸い (hiragana さいわい, rōmaji saiwai, historical hiragana さいはひ)

1. very good fortune and happiness, especially as bestowed by gods, spirits, buddhas, or other entities
2. an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
3. (derivation unknown) the tail and back fins of a carp or other fish, as used in cooking

Synonyms

• (favorable occurrence): 幸 (しあわ)せ (shiawase)
• (happiness): 幸 (しあわ)せ (shiawase), 幸福 (こうふく) (kōfuku)
• (fish tail and back fins): 尾鰭 (おひれ) (ohire)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
幸
さきわ Grade: 3
kun’yomi

/sakipapi/ → /sakiɸaɸi/ → /sakiwahi/ → /sakiwai/

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 幸う (sakiwau, “to meet with good fortune; to prosper”), itself a compound of 幸 (saki, “good fortune, happiness”) +‎ 這う (hau, “to spread out widely”).[1]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final い to indicate the reading.

Alternative forms

• 幸

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
  • IPA^(key): [sa̠kʲiɰᵝa̠i]

Noun

幸い (hiragana さきわい, rōmaji sakiwai, historical hiragana さきはひ)

1. (obsolete) an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
2. (obsolete) good luck or good fortune itself

Usage notes

Obsolete in modern Japanese, replaced by saiwai above.

Synonyms

• (good fortune): 幸福 (こうふく) (kōfuku); 幸 (さいわ)い (saiwai); 幸 (さち) (sachi)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
幸
さちわ Grade: 3
kun’yomi

/sat͡ɕipapi/ → /sat͡ɕiɸaɸi/ → /sat͡ɕiwahi/ → /sat͡ɕiwai/

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 幸う (sachiwau, “to meet with good fortune; to prosper”), itself a compound of 幸 (sachi, “good fortune, happiness”) +‎ 這う (hau, “to spread out widely”).[1]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final い to indicate the reading.

Alternative forms

• 幸

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
  • IPA^(key): [sa̠t͡ɕiɰᵝa̠i]

Noun

幸い (hiragana さちわい, rōmaji sachiwai, historical hiragana さちはひ)

1. (obsolete, rare) an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
2. (obsolete, rare) good luck or good fortune itself

Usage notes

Obsolete in modern Japanese, replaced by saiwai above. In historical Japanese, sachiwai appears to be a rarer variant of sakiwai above.

Synonyms

• (good fortune): 幸福 (こうふく) (kōfuku); 幸 (さいわ)い (saiwai); 幸 (さち) (sachi)

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