お構い

Japanese

Kanji in this term
構
かま Grade: 5
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
御構い

Etymology

Compound of お (o-, “honorific prefix”) + 構(かま)い (kamai, “care, concern”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) おかまい [òkámáí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [o̞ka̠ma̠i]

Noun

お構(かま)い • (okamai) ^{←おかまひ (okamafi)?}

1. (honorific, chiefly in the negative) act of treating with hospitality; taking care of; attending to

   Synonyms: 構うこと (kamau koto), おもて成し (omotenashi), お世話 (osewa)

   なんのお構(かま)いもできませんで。

   Nan no okamai mo dekimasen de.

   I cannot be of any help.

2. (chiefly in the negative) concern, worry

   Synonym: 頓着 (tonjaku)

   夜(よ)中(なか)でもお構(かま)いなく大(おお)声(ごえ)で歌(うた)っている。

   Yonaka demo okamai naku ōgoe de utatte iru.

   [He/She] is singing loudly without worrying (about disturbing others) even in the middle of the night.

3. 御構: (historical, law enforcement) a punishment in the Edo period: banishing, exile

   Synonym: 追放 (tsuihō)