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 [noun] tenderness [noun] This term needs a translation to English. [noun] This term needs a translation to English. [noun] (Christianity) agape [proper noun] a female given name [proper noun] a surname 【隘】H [affix] narrow; confined 【埃】H [noun] one ten-billionth 【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 an alternative spelling of the above Sino-Japanese terms. For a list of all kanji read as あい, not just those used in Japanese terms, see Category:Japanese kanji read as あい.)

Etymology 2

Alternative spelling	相

From Old Japanese stem form of verb あう (au): to meet, to be together, etc.

Pronunciation

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

Prefix

あい • (ai-)  (historical kana あひ)

1. 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).

2. used in official or epistolary writings for elegance or politeness

Etymology 3

Alternative spellings	合い 合

Same as 相 above.

Suffix

あい • (-ai)  (historical kana あひ)

1. mutual, together, each other, meeting

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

Noun

あい • (ai)  (historical kana あひ)

1. Short for 合い服 (あいふく, aifuku, “clothing worn in spring or autumn”).

Etymology 4

Alternative spelling	間

Pronunciation

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

Noun

あい • (ai)  (historical kana あひ)

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 5

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

【藍】S [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 Alternative spelling アイ

(This term, あい, is an alternative spelling of the above term. For a list of all kanji read as あい, not just those used in Japanese terms, see Category:Japanese kanji read as あい.)

Etymology 6

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

【鮎】J [noun] (obsolete) the ayu or sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis

(This term, あい, is an alternative spelling of the above term. For a list of all kanji read as あい, not just those used in Japanese terms, see Category:Japanese kanji read as あい.)

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Okinawan

Noun

あい (romaji ai)

1. 蟻: ant