What does “kasa” mean in Japanese?
Native speakers say “kasa” to mean ‘umbrella’ in Japanese. Very simple, I think. In this blog post, however, I will explain its definition, meaning, and kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “kasa” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “kasa”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “kasa”.
- kasa – 傘 (かさ) : a noun meaning ‘umbrella’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun meaning ‘umbrellas’. Learn more about Japanese plural.
Normally, Japanese people use this noun to refer to umbrellas which protect them against rain. For parasols, they normally use the imported word, “parasoru”, or the following word:
- higasa – 日傘 (ひがさ) : a noun meaning ‘parasol’ or ‘sunshade’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun. The first kanji means ‘sun’; the second means ‘umbrella’ as explained above.
In this longer noun, the first sound of “kasa” has been changed to the voiced sound. This kind of sound shift often happens in the Japanese language. Normally, the first sound of a word is changed depending on the word preceding it.
The kanji expression of “kasa” originally came from the shape of an umbrella. “傘” seems to have a rod at the center, cloth on the top, and creases on the cloth.
The definition and meaning of “kasa” are simple and clear, I think. Then, let me explain how to use it through the example sentences below.
Example #1: how to say “umbrella” in Japanese
kare wa kasa wo sashi ta – 彼は傘をさした (かれはかさをさした)
He opened his umbrella.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
- wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “kare” to make the subject word in the sentence.
- wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “kasa” to make the object in the sentence.
- sashi – さし : one conjugation of the verb, “sasu”, which means ‘to open’, ‘to point’, or such in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. In the example, this is used after “sashi” to make its past tense form, “sashi ta”.
This is a typical usage of “kasa”. In this example, it works as a part of the commonly-used expression, “kasa wo sashi ta”, which means ‘to have opened an umbrella’ in Japanese. Native speakers often use this expression, so Japanese learners should master it together with its present tense form ,”kasa wo sasu”, which means ‘to open an umbrella’.
Example #2: another usage of “kasa”
watashi wa tamani kasa wo nusuma reru – 私はたまに傘を盗まれる (わたしはたまにかさをぬすまれる)
I occasionally have my umbrella stolen.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese.
- tamani – たまに : an adverb of frequency meaning ‘occasionally’ or ‘sometimes’ in Japanese.
- nusuma – 盗ま (ぬすま) : one conjugation of the verb, “nusumu”, which means ‘to steal’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- reru – れる : an auxiliary verb used after a verb to make its passive form. In the example, this is used after “nusuma” to make its passive form, “nusuma reru”, which means ‘to be stolen’ in Japanese.
This is another typical usage of “kasa”. In this example, it works as a part of the commonly-used expression, “kasa wo nusuma reru”, which means ‘to have one’s umbrella stolen’ in Japanese. From the security point of view, I love Japan: the country where lost items are returned to the rightful owners; the country where umbrellas are never returned to the owners. Anyway, the expression used in this example must be helpful for those who are living in Japan.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition, meaning, and kanji expression of “kasa” with its related noun. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.
- kasa – 傘 (かさ) : a noun meaning ‘umbrella’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun meaning ‘umbrellas’. Normally, Japanese people use this noun to refer to umbrellas which protect them against rain.
- higasa – 日傘 (ひがさ) : a noun meaning ‘parasol’ or ‘sunshade’ in Japanese. This can also work as a plural noun. The first kanji means ‘sun’; the second means ‘umbrella’ as explained above.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
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