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Definition 2024
邪魔
邪魔
Japanese
| Kanji in this term | |
|---|---|
| 邪 | 魔 |
|
じゃ Grade: S |
ま Grade: S |
| on'yomi | |
Alternative forms
- Including the honorific prefix お (o-): お邪魔 (ojama), 御邪魔 (ojama)
Etymology
Originally a Buddhist term, imported into Japanese when Buddhism was introduced to Japan, some time during the Kofun, Asuka, and Nara periods.
From Middle Chinese 邪魔 (*zia *mɑ?, literally “wrong, evil, perverse” + “devil, demon”). Compare modern Mandarin 邪魔 (xiémó).
Pronunciation
Noun
邪魔 (hiragana じゃま, romaji jama)
- (Buddhism) a demon or devil of perversity, a hindrance to the practice of Buddhism
- more generally, an obstacle, a hindrance, interference
- 箱をここに放るのは邪魔だよ。
- Hako o koko ni hōru no wa jama da yo.
- Those boxes you threw down here are in the way.
- 箱をここに放るのは邪魔だよ。
- a nuisance, a bother
- 電話の邪魔をしないでください。
- Denwa no jama o shinaide kudasai.
- Please don't be a nuisance when I'm on the phone. → Please don't interrupt my phone calls.
- 電話の邪魔をしないでください。
- (figuratively, idiomatic, humble) a visit
- Usually prefixed with the honorific お (o-). Said of oneself visiting someone else, never said of others.
- 来週お邪魔にあがってもよろしいでしょうか。
- Raishū ojama ni agatte mo yoroshii deshō ka.
- Would it be all right to visit you next week?
Synonyms
Synonyms
Verb
邪魔する (hiragana じゃまする, romaji jama suru)
- to impede, to obstruct
- そのパイプが通過を邪魔しています。
- Sono paipu ga tsūka o jama shite imasu.
- That pipe is impeding passage.
- そのパイプが通過を邪魔しています。
- to be a bother, obstacle, nuisance, hindrance
- 宿題しているから邪魔しないでくれ。
- Shukudai shite iru kara jama shinaide kure.
- I'm doing my homework, so don't bother me.
- 宿題しているから邪魔しないでくれ。
Conjugation
Conjugation of "邪魔する" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
| Stem forms | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperfective (未然形) | 邪魔し | じゃまし | jama shi | |
| Continuative (連用形) | 邪魔し | じゃまし | jama shi | |
| Terminal (終止形) | 邪魔する | じゃまする | jama suru | |
| Attributive (連体形) | 邪魔する | じゃまする | jama suru | |
| Hypothetical (仮定形) | 邪魔すれ | じゃますれ | jama sure | |
| Imperative (命令形) | 邪魔せよ¹ 邪魔しろ² |
じゃませよ¹ じゃましろ² |
jama seyo¹ jama shiro² |
|
| Key constructions | ||||
| Passive | 邪魔される | じゃまされる | jama sareru | |
| Causative | 邪魔させる 邪魔さす |
じゃまさせる じゃまさす |
jama saseru jama sasu |
|
| Potential | 邪魔できる | じゃまできる | jama dekiru | |
| Volitional | 邪魔しよう | じゃましよう | jama shiyō | |
| Negative | 邪魔しない | じゃましない | jama shinai | |
| Negative continuative | 邪魔せず | じゃませず | jama sezu | |
| Formal | 邪魔します | じゃまします | jama shimasu | |
| Perfective | 邪魔した | じゃました | jama shita | |
| Conjunctive | 邪魔して | じゃまして | jama shite | |
| Hypothetical conditional | 邪魔すれば | じゃますれば | jama sureba | |
| ¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative | ||||
Idioms
- お邪魔します (ojama shimasu): literally: “I'm being a bother / I'm bothering you” → said upon arrival when visiting someone's place: “hello, sorry for any trouble”
Synonyms
- (impede): 妨げる (samatageru)