はず

See also: はす

Japanese

Alternative spellings
筈 弭

Etymology

Unknown. There are several origin theories, including:

• From ハヅレ (hazure, “other; extraordinary”)
• Of obsolete forms ハ, meaning “open; unfold”, and ズ, meaning “unlimited; without end”
• Abbreviation of 手(て)はず (tehazu, “arrangement; plan”)
• Abbreviation of obsolete ハスヱ (hasue, “tip; end”)
• From 羽(は) (ha, “feather”) and 頭(ず) (zu, “tip; head”)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) はず [hàzú] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ha̠zɨ]

Noun

はず • (hazu) ^{←はず (fazu)?}

1. nock; the grooves that hold a bowstring on a bow, the notch that holds an arrow to the bowstring
2. (sumo) a nock-shaped grip used in はず押(お)し (hazu oshi)
3. as things should be; what is expected; that which should be so; must be; bound to be; expected to be

   船(ふね)は来(らい)週(しゅう)横(よこ)浜(はま)に着(つ)くはずである。

   Fune wa raishū Yokohama ni tsuku hazu de aru.

   The ship should arrive in Yokohama next week.

   そんなはずはない。

   Sonna hazu wa nai.

   That isn't right. That should not happen.

   不(ふ)可(か)能(のう)なはずだった。

   Fukanō na hazu datta.

   It should have been impossible.

   その弭(はず)が神(しん)霊(れい)のより所(どころ)

   sono hazu ga shinrei no yoridokoro

   that is as the gods should allow

4. (Okinawa) what may happen; as things could be

   (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Usage notes

• (as things should be):
  • Attaches to a verb or adjective to indicate an expectation that something took place, will take place, or is (was) in some state.
  • This term is often spelled in hiragana, being an abstract word largely divorced from its original meaning.
  • (Okinawa) Denotes a considerably lower probability than that of standard Japanese.