はい
See also: ばい
Japanese
Etymology 1
Ultimate derivation currently unknown, with various resources listing no etymology.[1][2][3][4] Theories include:
- Perhaps related to interjection は (ha, “yes”), which first appears in the early 1600s.[5]
- Alternatively, may derive from Cantonese 係/系 (hai6), or perhaps from Sino-Japanese 拝 (hai), but this theory is not academically accepted. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)
First cited as a general shout in the early 1600s (compare English hey),[1] with the affirmative yes sense first cited to 1774.[1]
Interjection
はい • (hai)
- [from 1774] yes; okay; understood, got it; here, present; right, so (agreement); uh-huh (acknowledgement that one is listening)
- はい、承知しました。
- Hai, shōchi shimashita.
- Yes, understood.
- 「もしもし、木村さんですか?」「はい、木村です。」
- “Moshimoshi, Kimura-san desu ka?”“Hai, Kimura desu.”
- "Hello, is this Mr./Ms. Kimura?" "Yes, Kimura speaking."
- はい、何でしょうか。
- Hai, nan deshō ka.
- Yes? What is it?
- はい。はい。はい。なるほど、なるほど。
- Hai. Hai. Hai. Naruhodo, naruhodo.
- Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yes. Mmm, I see.
- はい、承知しました。
- [from 1774] no (in response to negative questions); agree
- 今日は雨だから、ピクニックには行けませんね?はい、行けません。
- Kyō wa ame da kara, pikunikku ni wa ikemasen ne? Hai, ikemasen.
- It's raining today so we can't go on a picnic? No, we can't go.
- 今日は雨だから、ピクニックには行けませんね?はい、行けません。
- [date uncertain] sorry? (What did you say?)
- はい?何ですって?
- Hai? Nan desu tte?
- I'm sorry? Could you repeat that?
- はい?何ですって?
- [from 1603] general shout or call, compare English hey: go, start; stop, time's up (expressing a timing)
- 1、2、3、はい!
- Ichi, ni, san, hai!
- 1, 2, 3, go!
- はい、そこまで。
- Hai, soko made.
- OK, let's stop here.
- はいおわりー。
- Hai owarī.
- Hey, we're done.
- 1、2、3、はい!
- [from early 1800s] (sentence-final) used to express mild uncertainty
- そうだと思います、はい。
- Sō da to omoimasu, hai.
- I believe so, yes.
- そうだと思います、はい。
Usage notes
Used in a variety of contexts, including:
- “present” – when calling attendance
- “go ahead” – when a car or truck is backing up; often said deeply with extended ‘a’ sound as in はあ〜い (hāāi)
- “yes, I understand what you are saying (but don’t necessarily agree)”
Synonyms
Etymology 2
For pronunciation and definitions of はい – see the following entries. | ||
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(This term, はい, is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.) For a list of all kanji read as はい, see Category:Japanese kanji read as はい.) |
References
- “はい”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”) (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
- “はい”, in デジタル大辞泉 [Digital Daijisen] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
- Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 [Kōjien] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
- “は”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”) (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
Okinawan
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