wabi-sabi

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese わび・さび or 侘・寂 (wabi-sabi).

Pronunciation

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Noun

wabi-sabi (uncountable)

1. A Japanese aesthetic that derives from imperfection and transience.

   Tai purchased purple flowers in a wabi-sabi pot for Tara.

   • 2021, Jenni Fagan, Luckenbooth, William Heinemann, page 265:

     If Dot were to pick an ideology, hers would be wabi-sabi. Her life is full of decay and beauty in imperfection.

   • 2024 April 24, Matcha Samurai, Instagram:

     Wabisabi is like this! Look! Look. It looks old, but it's not purposely made this way. With the, you know, time it's looking like this! But it still looks beautiful! That's WABISABI!