定めない

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Japanese[edit]

Kanji in this term
さだ
Grade: 3
kun’yomi

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Compound of 定め (sadame, fate; rule, law, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, continuative or stem form) of verb 定める sadameru “to decide, to establish, to settle”) +‎ 無い (nai, there isn't, does not exist): literally, “there is no set fate”, and by extension, “changeable”.[2]

Note that this is distinct from the negative form of verb 定める (sadameru), 定めない (sadamenai, see below), although both have the same reading and inflection.[2]

Alternative forms[edit]

Usage notes[edit]

Both senses of sadamenai are often written using hiragana for the nai portion. In such cases, the intended sense can be discerned from the context.

Adjective[edit]

(さだ)めない (sadamenai-i (adverbial (さだ)めなく (sadamenaku))

  1. Alternative spelling of 定め無い: transient, changeable, ephemeral
Inflection[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

The negative form of verb 定める (sadameru, to decide, to establish, to settle).

Verb[edit]

(さだ)めない (sadamenai

  1. negative of 定める (sadameru) [ichidan]: to not decide, to not establish, to not settle

References[edit]

  1. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN