JapaneseEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

SyllableEdit

じゃ (romaji ja)

  1. The hiragana syllable じゃ (ja). Its equivalent in katakana is ジャ (ja).

Etymology 2Edit

Contraction of では (de wa).

Alternative formsEdit

ConjunctionEdit

じゃ (jaぢや (dya)?

  1. (colloquial) so, then—used for connecting to a reasonable conclusion, supposition

InterjectionEdit

じゃ (jaぢや (dya)?

  1. well; then; so
  2. by extension from the "so then" meaning: bye, goodbye

Etymology 3Edit

Contraction of である (de aru, to be, to exist).

VerbEdit

じゃ (jaぢや (dya)?

  1. to be
    わしはわしじゃ
    Washi wa washi ja.
    I am me.
Usage notesEdit

Variation on the Japanese copula (da) used in western Japan, such as in Chūgoku, Shikoku, or Kyūshū; particularly common in Hiroshima. The use of じゃ (ja) is also common in fictional dialogue attributed to archaic characters. In Kansai, じゃ (ja) changed to (ya) in the late Edo period.

ConjugationEdit

Etymology 4Edit

Kanji reading.

NounEdit

じゃ (ja

  1. : generic name for a large snake; a heavy drinker
  2. : a moral wrong; a bad attitude; maliciousness, wickedness; such a person
  3. : short for 麝香 (jakō, musk); short for 麝香鹿 (jakōjika, musk deer)