Japanese edit

Kanji in this term
さだ
Grade: 3

Grade: 4
kun’yomi
Alternative spelling
定めない

Etymology edit

Compound of 定め (sadame, fate; rule, law, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, stem form) of verb 定める sadameru “to decide, to establish, to settle”) +‎ 無い (nai, there isn't, does not exist): literally, “there is no set fate”, and by extension, “changeable”.[1]

Note that this is distinct from the negative form of verb 定める (​sadameru), 定めない (​sadamenai), although both have the same reading and inflection.[1] Both senses of sadamenai are often written using hiragana for the nai portion. In such cases, the intended sense can be discerned from the context.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

(さだ)() (sadamenai-i (adverbial (さだ)() (sadamenaku))

  1. transient, changeable, ephemeral

Inflection edit

References edit

  1. 1.0 1.1 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN