What does “sora” mean in Japanese?
Native speakers say “sora” to mean ‘sky’ in Japanese. Probably, many Japanese learners know this word as it is often used in Japanese movies, songs, novels, manga, anime, and the like. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail together with example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners understand “sora” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “sora”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “sora”.
- sora – 空 (そら) : a noun meaning ‘sky’ in Japanese.
Japanese native speakers use this noun to refer to the space far above the ground which looks blue in the daytime and dark at night. So, the usage is similar to that of the English noun, “sky”, I think.
The definition and meaning of “sora” are simple and clear. Then, let me explain how to use this noun through the example sentences below.
Example #1: how to say “sky” in Japanese
tokidoki boku tachi wa sora wo miru – 時々僕達は空を見る (ときどきぼくたちはそらをみる)
Sometimes we look at the sky.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- tokidoki – 時々 (ときどき) : an adverb of frequency meaning ‘sometimes’ in Japanese.
- boku – 僕 (ぼく) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese. This is used mainly by boys and young males.
- tachi – 達 (たち) : a suffix used after a noun or pronoun to make its plural form. In the example, this is used after “boku” to make its plural form, “boku tachi”, which means ‘we’ in Japanese. Learn more about Japanese plural.
- wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “boku tachi” to make the subject in the sentence.
- wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “sora” to make the object in the sentence.
- miru – 見る (みる) : a verb meaning ‘to see’, ‘to watch’, ‘to look’, or such in Japanese.
This is a typical usage of “sora”. In this example, it works together with the case particle, “wo”, to become the object in the sentence.
Example #2: another usage of “sora”
sora ga aokat ta – 空が青かった (そらがあおかった)
The sky was blue.
Below are the new words used in the example sentence.
- 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 “sora” to make the subject in the sentence.
- aokat – 青かっ (あおかっ) : one conjugation of the i-adjective, “aoi“, which means ‘blue’ 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. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese ta form. In the example, this is used after “aokat” to make its past tense form, “aokat ta”.
This is another typical usage of “sora”. In this example, it works together with the case particle, “ga”, to become the subject in the sentence. When we want to mean “sky” in Japanese, anyway, this noun is always a very good option.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “sora” and how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.
- sora – 空 (そら) : a noun meaning ‘sky’ in Japanese. Japanese native speakers use this noun to refer to the space far above the ground which looks blue in the daytime and dark at night. So, the usage is similar to that of the English noun, “sky”, I think.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
