ちゃう
Japanese
Etymology 1
From てしまう (te shimau).[1][2][3]
/te ɕimau/ → /t͡ɕimau/ → /t͡ɕau/
Suffix
- (colloquial) Same as てしまう (te shimau).
Usage notes
Attaches to the continuative form of a verb.
Synonyms
Etymology 2
From 違う (chigau).
/t͡ɕiɡau/ → /t͡ɕau/
Verb
ちゃう • (chau) intransitive godan (stem ちゃい (chai), past ちゃった (chatta))
- (colloquial, Kansai) Synonym of 違う (chigau).
- (colloquial, Kansai) Synonym of じゃない (ja nai).
Usage notes
The transformation is limited to the Terminal/Attributive form ちゃう and the Continuative form ちゃいます.
Trivia
Used in a famous Kansai dialect pun, punning on ちゃうちゃう (“chow chow (dog)”), ちゃうちゃう (“no, no”), ちゃう (“isn’t it?”), and ちゃう (“no (it isn’t)”). One variant is:
- A: ちゃうちゃうちゃう？
- Isn’t [that] [a] chow chow?
- B: ちゃうちゃう、ちゃうちゃうちゃう。
- No, no – [it’s] not [a] chow chow.
Further reading
- 関西弁が分かる方に質問です。 Ａ「あれ、ちゃうちゃうちゃう？」Ｂ「ちゃうちゃ... – one version of the pun
References
- ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN