wabi-sabi

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese わび・さび or 侘・寂 (wabi-sabi).

Noun

wabi-sabi (uncountable)

1. A Japanese aesthetic that derives from imperfection and transience.

   Tai purchased purple flowers in a wabi-sabi pot for Tara.

   • 2021, Jenni Fagan, Luckenbooth, William Heinemann, page 265:

     If Dot were to pick an ideology, hers would be wabi-sabi. Her life is full of decay and beauty in imperfection.

   • 2024, Matcha Samurai, Instagram:

     Wabisabi is like this! Look! Look. It looks old, but it's not purposely made this way. With the time it's looking like this! But it still looks beautiful! That's WABISABI!