\u65e5\u672c\u8a9e\u306f\u3053\u3061\u3089<\/p>\n
Meaning of \u304a\u304b\u3057\u3044 (Okashii)<\/a> In Japanese, the word \u201cokashii\u201d (\u304a\u304b\u3057\u3044) 2) \u201cHis stories are so funny\u00a0 \u201cokashikute, okashikute\u201d, I can\u2019t stop laughing.\u201d The word \u201cokashii\u201d has been around for over 1,000 years. In the past, the spelling in \u201chiragana\u201d (Japanese phonetic script) was different from the way it is written today, and it was written as \u201cwokashi\u201d (\u3092\u304b\u3057). The meaning was a little different then as well. About 1,000 years ago, a woman named Sei Shonagon wrote an essay called \u201cMakura no Soshi\u201d (The Pillow Book). When you read this book, you can easily understand the kinds of things that Sei thought were \u201cwokashi.\u201d The opening is an especially good example, as it talks about what is \u201cwokashi\u201d about the scenery of the seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. That book is especially difficult to read, so I\u2019ll try to put it in simple language as best I can.<\/p>\n In spring, in the morning, the landscape as the sun comes out is good. As it gets brighter, the clouds take on a purple color, and that is good.
History of the Word \u304a\u304b\u3057\u3044 (Okashii)<\/a>
The Pillow Book: “Makura no Soshi”<\/a><\/p>\nMeaning of \u304a\u304b\u3057\u3044 (Okashii)<\/h2>\n
has two meanings.
1) \u201cWhat? I put money in and pushed the button, but no juice came out. Okashii.\u201d
In this case, \u201cokashii\u201d means \u201cstrange\u201d or \u201cunusual.\u201d<\/p>\n
In this case, \u201cokashii\u201d means \u201cfunny.\u201d<\/p>\nHistory of the Word \u304a\u304b\u3057\u3044 (Okashii)<\/h2>\n
The \u201cwokashi\u201d of 1,000 years ago was not used in the sense of \u201cstrange\u201d or \u201cunusual\u201d as in example (1). The meaning like in example (2) was used occasionally, but not that much.
So, what was the meaning of the \u201cwokashi\u201d of 1,000 years ago?
I think the meaning was similar to \u201clike\u201d on facebook, but that\u2019s just my opinion. But \u201c like! \u201d \u00a0conveys a lot of different emotions, don\u2019t you think? \u00a0 Let\u2019s consider what kind of feeling the \u201cwokashi\u201d of 1,000 years ago might have had.<\/p>\nThe Pillow Book: “Makura no Soshi”<\/h3>\n
In summer, the night is good. The moon on a clear night is good, and a rainy night is also good. Fireflies, as they begin to fly about, are also good.
In autumn, dusk is good. Birds flying in a line against a beautiful sunset is good. Small insects singing in the stillness of twilight is also good.
In winter, the early morning is good. Rising early, looking out and seeing snow silently falling is good. On a cold morning, the sight of a warm charcoal fire is also good.
So, what do you think? Do you understand the emotion of Sei\u2019s \u201cwokashi\u201d? It\u2019s not the same as \u201cWow!\u201d or \u201cGreat!\u201d or \u201cFantastic!\u201d It\u2019s more like a quiet, inner feeling of \u201cummm, yes, that\u2019s good.\u201d
So, what do you say? Let\u2019s try to find the same kind of \u201cwokashi\u201d that Sei wrote about 1,000 years ago in our daily lives today!<\/p>\n\n\n Want to master Japanese? Start taking Japanese lessons with us! <\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t