しい

See also: じい

Japanese

Etymology 1

⟨siki₁⟩ → /sikʲi/ → /ɕiki/ → */ɕiɡi/ → */ɕiɣi/ → */ɕiji/ → /ɕi.i/

Developed from しき (-shiki), the 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) of adjectival suffix し (-shi).

Alternative forms

• C(しい) (shī) (slang)

Suffix

しい • (-shii) 

1. used to form adjectives from nouns, reduplications, or the 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) of verbs; an adjective derived by this suffix implies a thorough and certain possession of the quality of the suffixed term:

   from nouns: 大人(おとな) (otona, “adult”) + しい (shii) → おとなしい (otonashii, “quiet, gentle”)

   from verbs: 急(いそ)ぐ (isogu, “to rush, hurry”) + しい (shii) → 忙(いそが)しい (isogashii, “busy”)

   from Japanese original reduplications: 水(みず) (mizu, “water”) + 水(みず) (mizu) + しい (shii) → 瑞々(みずみず)しい (mizumizushii, “fresh, juicy”)

   from reduplications of Chinese origins: 騒(そう) (sō, “noise”) + 騒(そう) (sō) + しい (shii) → 騒々(そうぞう)しい (sōzōshii, “noisy”)

Conjugation

Inflection of しい

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	しかろ	しかろ	-shikaro
Continuative (連用形)	しく	しく	-shiku
Terminal (終止形)	しい	しい	-shii
Attributive (連体形)	しい	しい	-shii
Hypothetical (仮定形)	しけれ	しけれ	-shikere
Imperative (命令形)	しかれ	しかれ	-shikare
Key constructions
Informal negative	しくない	しくない	-shiku nai
Informal past	しかった	しかった	-shikatta
Informal negative past	しくなかった	しくなかった	-shiku nakatta
Formal	しいです	しいです	-shii desu
Formal negative	しくないです	しくないです	-shiku nai desu
Formal past	しかったです	しかったです	-shikatta desu
Formal negative past	しくなかったです	しくなかったです	-shiku nakatta desu
Conjunctive	しくて	しくて	-shikute
Conditional	しければ	しければ	-shikereba
Provisional	しかったら	しかったら	-shikattara
Volitional	しかろう	しかろう	-shikarō
Adverbial	しく	しく	-shiku
Degree	しさ	しさ	-shisa

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of しい – see the following entries.

【四維】 [noun] the four ordinal directions [noun] the four principles for the state

【旨意】 [noun] [from 1130] (uncommon) intent, intention, aim, purpose

【恣意】 [noun] arbitrariness

(This term, しい, is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.) For a list of all kanji read as しい, see Category:Japanese kanji read as しい.)

(The following entries are uncreated: 尸位, 四夷, 四位, 四囲, 私意, 思惟, 施為, 徙移, 紫衣, 詩意, 緇衣.)

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of しい – see the following entry.

【尿】S [noun] [late 1700s–???] (archaic, childish) urine

(This term, しい, is the hiragana spelling of the above term.) For a list of all kanji read as しい, see Category:Japanese kanji read as しい.)

Etymology 4

For pronunciation and definitions of しい – see the following entry.

【椎】S [noun] any tree of the genus Castanopsis Alternative spelling シイ

(This term, しい, is the hiragana spelling of the above term.) For a list of all kanji read as しい, see Category:Japanese kanji read as しい.)

Etymology 5

For pronunciation and definitions of しい – see the following entry.

【志】5 [proper noun] a female given name

(This term, しい, is the hiragana spelling of the above term.) For a list of all kanji read as しい, see Category:Japanese kanji read as しい.)