あい

See also: アイ and Appendix:Variations of "ai"

Japanese

Etymology 1

For pronunciation and definitions of あい – see the following entries.

【哀】S [noun]grief; sorrow; sadness; lamentation [noun]pity; sympathy 【愛】4 [noun]love [noun]affection [proper noun]A female given name [proper noun]A surname​. 【隘】H [affix]narrow; confined 【埃】H [noun]one billionth [noun]dust 【娃】J [affix]beauty, beautiful girl (generally only used in names) 【靄】H [affix]mist, haze [affix]mistiness, haziness [proper noun]a female given name

(This term, あい, is the hiragana spelling of several Sino-Japanese terms.) For a list of all kanji with on'yomi あい, not just those used in Sino-Japanese terms, see Category:Japanese kanji with on reading あい.

Etymology 2

Hiragana	modern	あい
	historical	あひ
Kanji	合い 合 相

From Old Japanese. Ren'yōkei form of the verb あう (au, “to meet, to be together, etc.”)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あ​い [áꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [a̠i]

Prefix

あい (rōmaji ai-)

1. 相: mutual, together, each other

   相 (あい)手 (て) ― aite ― partner; opponent

   兄弟 (きょうだい)はいつも相 (あい)戦 (たたか)うものだ。

   Kyōdai wa itsumo ai-tatakau mono da.

   Brothers (siblings) will always fight (with each other).

Usage notes

Used only in compound words as a reciprocal prefix, frequently also prefixed to words in official or epistolary writings merely for elegance or politeness.

Suffix

あい (rōmaji -ai)

1. 合い, 合: mutual, together, each other, meeting

   意 (い)味 (み)合 (あ)い ― imiai ― implication, shade of meaning, nuance

Noun

あい (rōmaji ai)

1. 合い, 合: Short for 合い服 (aifuku).

Etymology 3

Hiragana	modern	あい
	historical	あひ
Kanji	間

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あ​い [áꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Tokyo) あい [àí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [a̠i]

Noun

あい (rōmaji ai)

1. (literary or dialectal) interval of time or space; time; during; between; leisure

   歯 (は)の間 (あい)にものが挟 (はさ)む ― ha no ai ni mono ga hasamu ― something is sticking between the teeth

2. relation; relationship; terms (between people)

   夫 (ふう)婦 (ふ)間 (あい)が悪 (わる)い ― fūfu ai ga warui ― the husband and wife are on bad terms

3. Short for 間狂言 (aikyōgen).
4. Short for 間駒 (aigoma).
5. Short for 間の手 (ai no te).

Synonyms

• (interval of time or space): 間 (ま) (ma), 間 (あいだ) (aida), 合間 (あいま) (aima)
• (relationship between people, terms): 間柄 (あいだがら) (aidagara), 仲 (なか) (naka)

Etymology 4

For pronunciation and definitions of あい – see the entry at 藍 with the following definitions. [noun]the Japanese indigo or Chinese indigo plant, Persicaria tinctoria [noun]the color indigo, from the dye processed from the stems and leaves of various indigo plants [noun]Short for 藍蝋 (airō): indigo pigment made from boiled-down indigo dye liquid [proper noun]a female given name [proper noun]a surname (This term, あい, is a hiragana spelling of 藍.)

Etymology 5

For pronunciation and definitions of あい – see the entry at 鮎 with the following definition. [noun][obsolete]the ayu or sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis (This term, あい, is a hiragana spelling of 鮎.)

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Okinawan

Noun

あい (romaji ai)

1. 蟻: ant