まさか
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Japanese
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Alternative spelling |
---|
真逆 |
From Old Japanese. First attested in the Man'yōshū, compiled 759 CE.[1]
There are various theories regarding the ultimate derivation:
- Being the initial ma- is from 目 (ma, me, “eye”), it was thought to be an alteration of 目前 (mesaki, “before one's eyes”), with the me- element becoming ma-, but there was no attestation of masaki.[1]
- Compound of root 正 (masa, “exactly”, found in compounds such as まさに (masa ni, “certainly, exactly, without doubt”)) + か (ka, “special suffix indicating condition”).[1][2]
Adverb
[edit]Interjection
[edit]- of course not, don't be silly
- no way, come off it
- no shit
- (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)
Noun
[edit]- an unexpected event
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 “まさか”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten][1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
- ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN