How to say “rainbow” in Japanese
Japanese people would say “niji”. It is the Japanese word for ‘rainbow’. Very simple. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. Let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “niji”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “niji”.
- niji – 虹 (にじ) : a noun meaning ‘rainbow’ in Japanese. This word can also work as a plural noun. Learn more about Japanese plural.
Its definition and meaning are very simple and clear, I think. To understand this word more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji character in detail.
“Niji” in kanji
The kanji character of “niji” consists of the following two parts:
- 虫 : a kanji character expressing ‘bug’, ‘insect’, or such in Japanese.
- 工 : a kanji character expressing ‘worker’, ‘artisan’, ‘craft’, ‘skill’, or such in Japanese.
These two components do not seem to be related to a rainbow. Naturally the question arises: why can they express a rainbow? To answer this question, let me explain what these two components expressed in the past in China.
- 虫 : a kanji character expressing ‘snake’.
- 工 : a kanji character expressing a line between the sky and the ground. The upper line, “一”, expresses the sky; the lower one, “一”, expresses the ground; the vertical one, “|” expresses the line between the sky and the ground.
From these two components, we can understand that ancient Chinese people used “虫” as a metaphor for a rainbow between the sky and the ground. Perhaps, they thought it was more like a dragon rather than a snake. Sometimes checking original kanji concepts in China is helpful to understand current meanings. Anyway, this is a well-considered kanji concept, I think.
Then, let me explain how to use “niji” through the example sentences below.
Example #1: how to say “rainbow” in Japanese
sora ni niji ga de ta – 空に虹が出た (そらににじがでた)
A rainbow appeared in the sky.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- sora – 空 (そら) : a noun meaning ‘sky’ in Japanese.
- ni – に : a case particle used to indicate a place which someone or something is in. In the example, this is used to indicate the place where “niji” appeared.
- ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “niji” to make the subject word in the sentence.
- de – 出 (で) : one conjugation of the verb, “deru”, which means ‘to come out’, ‘to appear’, 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 “de” to make its past tense form, “de ta”.
This is a typical usage of “niji”. In the example, it works as a part of the commonly-used expression, “niji ga de ta”, which means ‘a rainbow appeared’. This expression should be learnt together with its present tense form, “niji ga deru”.
Example #2: another usage of “niji”
niji wa totemo kirei desu – 虹はとても綺麗です (にじはとてもきれいです)
The rainbow is so beautiful.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this is used after “niji” to make the subject word in the sentence.
- totemo – とても : an adverb of degree, meaning ‘very’, ‘much’, ‘so’, ‘pretty’, or such in Japanese. In the example, this is used before “kirei” to emphasize its meaning.
- kirei – 綺麗 (きれい) : one conjugation of the na-adjective, “kireina“, which means ‘beautiful’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- desu – です : an auxiliary verb used after a noun or adjective to make it polite. Probably this is well known as a part of the Japanese desu form. In the example, this is used after “kirei” to make it sound polite.
This is another typical usage of “niji”. When we want to say “rainbow” in Japanese, this word is the best choice.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained “niji” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.
- niji – 虹 (にじ) : a noun meaning ‘rainbow’ in Japanese. This word can also work as a plural noun. The left part of this kanji expresses a snake; the right part expresses a line between the sky and the ground. This kanji concept is a good metaphor for a rainbow. When we want to say “rainbow” in Japanese, this word is the best choice.
- niji ga deru – 虹が出る (にじがでる) : a Japanese expression for ‘a rainbow appears’.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
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