Japanese

Pronunciation

• Kun'yomi
• (Tokyo) さいわい [sàíwáí] (Heiban - [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [sa̠iɰᵝa̠i]

Alternative forms

• 幸

Adjective

幸い ‎(-na inflection, hiragana さいわい, romaji saiwai, historical hiragana さいはひ)

1. very fortunate and happy, especially as bestowed by gods, spirits, buddhas, or other entities
2. favorable, ideal (often used in polite constructions)

   お返事 (へんじ)をいただければ幸 (さいわ)いです。

   Ohenji o itadakereba saiwai desu.

   It would be favorable if I could have your reply. → I would greatly appreciate your reply.

Conjugation

Adverb

幸い ‎(hiragana さいわい, romaji saiwai, historical hiragana さいはひ)

1. fortunately, luckily, happily

   幸 (さいわい)、怪我 (けが)はなかった。

   Saiwai, kega wa nakatta.

   Luckily, no one was hurt.

Usage notes

When used as an adverb without a particle, this term usually comes at the start of the sentence. It also appears used with advervial particles に ‎(ni) and と ‎(to), or, perhaps more commonly, in an adverbial construction as 幸なことに.

Noun

幸い ‎(hiragana さいわい, romaji saiwai, historical hiragana さいはひ)

1. very good fortune and happiness, especially as bestowed by gods, spirits, buddhas, or other entities
2. an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
3. (derivation unknown) the tail and back fins of a carp or other fish, as used in cooking

Synonyms

• (favorable occurrence): 幸 (しあわ)せ ‎(shiawase)
• (happiness): 幸 (しあわ)せ ‎(shiawase), 幸福 (こうふく) ‎(kōfuku)
• (fish tail and back fins): 尾鰭 (おひれ) ‎(ohire)

Etymology 2

/sakipapi/ → /sakiɸaɸi/ → /sakiwahi/ → /sakiwai/

The 連用形 ‎(ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 幸う ‎(sakiwau, “to meet with good fortune; to prosper”), itself a compound of 幸 ‎(saki, “good fortune, happiness”) +‎ 這う ‎(hau, “to spread out widely”).^[1]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final い to indicate the reading.

Pronunciation

• Kun'yomi
• IPA^(key): [sa̠kʲiɰᵝa̠i]

Alternative forms

• 幸

Noun

幸い ‎(hiragana さきわい, romaji sakiwai, historical hiragana さきはひ)

1. (obsolete) an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
2. (obsolete) good luck or good fortune itself

Usage notes

Obsolete in modern Japanese, replaced by saiwai above.

Synonyms

• (good fortune): 幸福 (こうふく) ‎(kōfuku); 幸 (さいわ)い ‎(saiwai); 幸 (さち) ‎(sachi)

Etymology 3

/sat͡ɕipapi/ → /sat͡ɕiɸaɸi/ → /sat͡ɕiwahi/ → /sat͡ɕiwai/

The 連用形 ‎(ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 幸う ‎(sachiwau, “to meet with good fortune; to prosper”), itself a compound of 幸 ‎(sachi, “good fortune, happiness”) +‎ 這う ‎(hau, “to spread out widely”).^[1]

More often spelled as 幸い with the final い to indicate the reading.

Pronunciation

• Kun'yomi
• IPA^(key): [sa̠t͡ɕiɰᵝa̠i]

Alternative forms

• 幸

Noun

幸い ‎(hiragana さちわい, romaji sachiwai, historical hiragana さちはひ)

1. (obsolete, rare) an occurrence of good luck or good fortune
2. (obsolete, rare) good luck or good fortune itself

Usage notes

Obsolete in modern Japanese, replaced by saiwai above. In historical Japanese, sachiwai appears to be a rarer variant of sakiwai above.

Synonyms

• (good fortune): 幸福 (こうふく) ‎(kōfuku); 幸 (さいわ)い ‎(saiwai); 幸 (さち) ‎(sachi)

References

1. 1 2 3 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 1 2 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9