Japanese Swadesh list

From Fresh Dictionary

Conventions used

• Only 和語 words were considered for this list. 漢語 and other 外来語 have been excluded.
• Japanese words sometimes function differently than the grammatical categories applied to them. For instance, "not" in Japanese is not a discrete word, but rather a verbal suffix. Such differences are explained in the Usage and Notes columns.
• The kanji listed include archaic usage. Do not attempt to blindly use these kanji and expect to be understood.
• Multiple kanji for a single word are separated by a nakaguro, as in 「其処・其所・其」 for 「そこ」.
• Kanji for different words in a single entry row are separated by a comma, as in 「彼, 彼の」 for 「あれ,あの」.
• In kanji lists for entry rows with multiple synonyms, nonexistent kanji are indicated by empty brackets, as in 「皆, 全て, [[]], [[]]」for 「みんな, すべて, すっかり, あらゆる」.
• Japanese "pronouns" are considered by some linguists to be more "referential nouns" than strict pronouns. Pronouns allow no modification -- for instance, you cannot grammatically say "the tall he", and must instead use a relative clause, such as "he that is tall". In contrast, Japanese "pronouns" can be directly modified, much like regular nouns -- it is grammatical to say 「背が高い彼」. Furthermore, many Japanese "pronouns" have historically evolved from common nouns, and as such have fundamentally different etymologies from the pronouns utilized in the Indo-European languages for which the Swadesh list was initially developed. Swadesh was attempting to show glottochronological correlations between words from different languages, but the wildly different etymologies of these Japanese "pronouns" defy such correlation. Certain pronoun entries below are therefore left blank.

The list

№	English	POS	Main Cat.	Hiragana	Kanji	Usage	Note
1	I	pronoun		おれ	俺	Very informal, used only between close friends or in superior-underling relationships. Considered very rude otherwise.	Only first-person pronoun in Japanese that does not derive from a common noun -- 私 originally meant "private" (i.e. "not public"), while 僕 meant "servant".
2	thou (singular)	pronoun					No Japanese word exists that fits this category and does not derive from a common noun.
3	he	pronoun		かれ	彼		Originally meant "that thing yonder", similar to あれ. Later came to mean any person aside from the speaker(s) and listener(s), and was used for both male and female referents up until the Meiji period.
4	we	pronoun		おれら	俺等	See usage above for おれ.	Combination of おれ + pluralizing suffix ら.
5	you (plural)	pronoun					No Japanese word exists that fits this category and does not derive from a common noun.
6	they	pronoun		かれら	彼等		Combination of かれ + pluralizing suffix ら.
7	this			これ, この	此・是・之・維・惟, 此の・斯の	これ is used as a noun, as in これを食べる I eat this. この is used as an adjective, as in このケーキを食べる I eat this cake.	Primarily written in kana, while the diversity of kanji forms are seen almost exclusively in archaic texts. Note that the の ending of the adjectival form seems to be the possessive / copulative の.
8	that (closer by)			それ, その	å ¶ãƒ»å¤«, å ¶ã®	それ is used as a noun, as in それを食べる I eat that. その is used as an adjective, as in そのケーキを食べる I eat that cake. Note that the そ forms denote something closer to the listener than the speaker, while the あ forms denote something removed from both speaker and listener.	Primarily written in kana, while the diversity of kanji forms are seen almost exclusively in archaic texts. Note that the の ending of the adjectival forms equates to the possessive / copulative の.
8.5	that (far off, i.e. "yon")			あれ, あの	彼, 彼の	あれ is used as a noun, as in あれを食べる I eat that. あの is used as an adjective, as in あのケーキを食べる I eat that cake. Note that the そ forms denote something closer to the listener than the speaker, while the あ forms denote something removed from both speaker and listener.	Primarily written in kana, while the diversity of kanji forms are seen almost exclusively in archaic texts. Note that the の ending of the adjectival forms seems to be the possessive / copulative の.
9	here			ここ	此処・此所・此・是・爰・		Note the overlap with これ. The suffix こ (処・所) denotes "place".
10	there (closer by)			そこ	å ¶å‡¦ãƒ»å ¶æ‰€ãƒ»å ¶	Note that the そ forms denote something closer to the listener than the speaker, while the あ forms denote something removed from both speaker and listener.	Note the overlap with それ. The suffix こ (処・所) denotes "place".
10.5	there (far off, i.e. "yon")			あそこ	彼処	Note that the そ forms denote something closer to the listener than the speaker, while the あ forms denote something removed from both speaker and listener.	あこ may also be heard, but あそこ is the more common variant. Note the overlap with あれ. The suffix こ (処・所) denotes "place".
11	who			だれ	誰	Also sometimes たれ (孰). Used only to refer to people. Of general politeness, だれ is the most commonly used form of "who". Alternate expressions include どなた (何方) (more polite), どのかた (どの方) (more polite), and どいつ (less polite).	Note the overlap with これ・それ・あれ・どれ.
12	what			なに	何	Shortens to なん before certain words, the most common example being だ・です, as in 何ですか nan desu ka, "what is it?"
13	where			どこ	何処・何所	Alternate form is いずこ (何処), archaic. Note overlap with いずれ (何れ) "which".	Note the overlap with ここ・そこ・あそこ, and with どれ "which". The suffix こ (処・所) denotes "place".
14	when			いつ	何時	These kanji are very seldom used for いつ, and are used instead for the word なんじ "what time".
15	how			どう, いかが	如何	どう is of general politeness. いかが is more formal. These kanji are very seldom used for どう, and occasionally used for いかが.
16	not			ない		This is a verbal suffix and not a discrete word. Usually follows the 未然形 (irrealis) form of the verb, eg. つかう "use" → つかわ + ない = つかわない "not use".
17	all			みんな, すべて, すっかり, あらゆる	皆, å ¨ã¦, [[]], [[]]
18	many	adjective		おおい	多い
19	some			すこし, ちょっと	少し, 一寸	ちょっと is almost never written in kanji in modern Japanese.
20	few	adjective		すくない	少ない
21	other	adjective		ほかの	他の・外の	The の here is the possessive / copulative の. ほか is seldom written in kanji, but when it is, the 他 form is more common.
22	one		number	ひ・ひと	一・壱	Usually followed by suffix つ when counting generic things, becoming ひとつ. The more complicated kanji form is reserved for bank notes and other contexts where it is important to avoid "editing" the simpler kanji into a higher denomination.
23	two		number	ふ・ふた	二・弐・双	Usually followed by suffix つ when counting generic things, becoming ふたつ. The more complicated kanji form is reserved for bank notes and other contexts where it is important to avoid "editing" the simpler kanji into a higher denomination. The 双 form is generally not used for "two", but it is commonly used in the word 双子 (ふたご REDIRECT Template:Nihongo/rom?) "twin(s)".
24	three		number	み	三・参	Usually followed by suffix つ when counting generic things, normally becoming みっつ. The more complicated kanji form is reserved for bank notes and other contexts where it is important to avoid "editing" the simpler kanji into a higher denomination.
25	four		number	よ・よん・すむい・すむゆ	四・肆	Usually followed by suffix つ when counting generic things, normally becoming よっつ. The more complicated kanji form is reserved for bank notes and other contexts where it is important to avoid "editing" the simpler kanji into a higher denomination. The すむい・すむゆ pronunciations are reserved for games played on the hands, similar to the English "eenie meenie minie moe".
26	five		number	い・いつ	五・伍	Usually followed by suffix つ when counting generic things, normally becoming いつつ. The more complicated kanji form is reserved for bank notes and other contexts where it is important to avoid "editing" the simpler kanji into a higher denomination.
27	big	adjective		おおきい・おおきな	大きい・大きな	This is one of the few irregular adjectives in Japanese, straddling the line between the so-called "i-adjectives" (形容詞) and "na-adjectives" (形容動詞). When in sentence-final position, the い form is used exclusively.
28	long	adjective		ながい	長い・永い	The 長 kanji is the most commonly used. 永 may be used when describing a length of time.	Considered to come from the same root as the verb pair 流れる・流す (ながれる・ながす), "to flow" / "to make flow".
29	wide	adjective		ひろい	広い・寛い・闊い・弘い	The 広 kanji is the most commonly used.
30	thick	adjective		あつい, ふとい	厚い, 太い	あつい describes flat things: 厚いコート (あついこーと), a thick coat. ふとい describes round things: 太い首 (ふといくび), a thick neck.	あつい is considered to come from the same root as the verb pair 集まる・集める (あつまる・あつめる), "to gather" (v.i.) / "to gather" (v.t.).
31	heavy	adjective		おもい	重い
32	small	adjective		ちいさい・ちいさな	小さい・小さな	This is one of the few irregular adjectives in Japanese, straddling the line between the so-called "i-adjectives" (形容詞) and "na-adjectives" (形容動詞). When in sentence-final position, the い form is used exclusively.
33	short	adjective		みじかい	短い	Generally only used as an antonym to 長い "long", but occasionally seen as antonym to 高い "tall".
34	narrow	adjective		ほそい, せまい	細い, 狭い	細い refers to something narrow as seen from the outside, as a neck or a pencil. 狭い refers to something narrow as seen from the inside, as a street or a room.
35	thin	adjective		うすい, ほそい	薄い, 細い	薄い can refer to thin color, thin liquid (as in thin ink), or thin flat things (as in thin paper or clothing). 細い can refer to a thin person.
36	woman	noun		おんな	女
37	man (adult male)	noun		おとこ	男
38	man (human being)	noun		ひと	人		Note overlap with ひと "one".
39	child (a youth)	noun		こども	子供	Used equally to refer to one child or many children.	Literally 子 ("child") + 供 ("member" or "with").
40	wife	noun		つま	妻	Only used to refer to one's own wife.
41	husband	noun		おっと	夫	Only used to refer to one's own husband.
42	mother	noun		はは, おかあさん	母, お母さん	母 is only used to refer to one's own mother. お母さん can be used both as a term of address to one's own mother, or to refer to another's mother. The さん ending is an honorific suffix.
43	father	noun		ちち, おとうさん	父, お父さん	父 is only used to refer to one's own father. お父さん can be used both as a term of address to one's own father, or to refer to another's father. The さん ending is an honorific suffix.
44	animal	noun	animal	けもの, けだもの	獣	Both pronunciations are written with the same kanji. Meaning roughly closer to English "beast".	Literally means "hairy thing", from words け (毛) "hair" and もの (物) "thing".
45	fish	noun	animal	さかな	魚		Etymologically a compound noun, coming from さか (alternate for さけ (é ’) "liquor" or "rice wine") and な (菜) "snack" or "side dish".
46	bird	noun	animal	とり	鳥
47	dog	noun	animal	いぬ	犬・狗
48	louse	noun	animal	しらみ	虱		This may be a compound noun, comprising しら "white" + み "body".
49	snake	noun	animal	へび	蛇
50	worm	noun	animal	[[]]
51	tree	noun	plant	[[]]
52	forest	noun	[[]]	[[]]
53	stick (of wood)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
54	fruit	noun	[[]]	[[]]
55	seed	noun	[[]]	[[]]
56	leaf	noun	[[]]	[[]]
57	root	noun	[[]]	[[]]
58	bark (of tree)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
59	flower	noun	[[]]	[[]]
60	grass	noun	[[]]	[[]]
61	rope	noun	[[]]	[[]]
62	skin (of a person)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
63	meat (as in flesh)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
64	blood	noun	[[]]	[[]]
65	bone	noun	[[]]	[[]]
66	fat (noun)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
67	egg	noun	[[]]	[[]]
68	horn	noun	[[]]	[[]]
69	tail	noun	[[]]	[[]]
70	feather (rather not down)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
71	hair	noun	body part	[[]]
72	head	noun	body part	[[]]
73	ear	noun	body part	[[]]
74	eye	noun	body part	[[]]
75	nose	noun	body part	[[]]
76	mouth	noun	body part	[[]]
77	tooth (rather not molar)	noun	body part	[[]]
78	tongue	noun	body part	[[]]
79	fingernail	noun	body part	[[]]
80	foot	noun	body part	[[]]
81	leg	noun	body part	[[]]
82	knee	noun	body part	[[]]
83	hand	noun	body part	[[]]
84	wing	noun	body part	[[]]
85	belly	noun	body part	[[]]
86	guts	noun	body part	[[]]
87	neck	noun	body part	[[]]
88	back	noun	body part	[[]]
89	breast	noun	body part	[[]]
90	heart	noun	body part	[[]]
91	liver	noun	body part	[[]]
92	to drink	verb	[[]]	[[]]
93	to eat	verb	[[]]	[[]]
94	to bite	verb	[[]]	[[]]
95	to suck	verb	[[]]	[[]]
96	to spit	verb	[[]]	[[]]
97	to vomit	verb	[[]]	[[]]
98	to blow (as wind)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
99	to breathe	verb	[[]]	[[]]
100	to laugh	verb	[[]]	[[]]
101	to see	verb	[[]]	[[]]
102	to hear	verb	[[]]	[[]]
103	to know (a fact)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
104	to think	verb	[[]]	[[]]
105	to smell (sense odor)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
106	to fear	verb	[[]]	[[]]
107	to sleep	verb	[[]]	[[]]
108	to live	verb	[[]]	[[]]
109	to die	verb	[[]]	[[]]
110	to kill	verb	[[]]	[[]]
111	to fight	verb	[[]]	[[]]
112	to hunt (transitive)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
113	to hit	verb	[[]]	[[]]
114	to cut	verb	[[]]	[[]]
115	to split	verb	[[]]	[[]]
116	to stab (or stick)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
117	to scratch (an itch)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
118	to dig	verb	[[]]	[[]]
119	to swim	verb	[[]]	[[]]
120	to fly	verb	[[]]	[[]]
121	to walk	verb	[[]]	[[]]
122	to come	verb	[[]]	[[]]
123	to lie (as on one's side)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
124	to sit	verb	[[]]	[[]]
125	to stand	verb	[[]]	[[]]
126	to turn (change direction)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
127	to fall (as in drop)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
128	to give	verb	[[]]	[[]]
129	to hold (in one's hand)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
130	to squeeze	verb	[[]]	[[]]
131	to rub	verb	[[]]	[[]]
132	to wash	verb	[[]]	[[]]
133	to wipe	verb	[[]]	[[]]
134	to pull	verb	[[]]	[[]]
135	to push	verb	[[]]	[[]]
136	to throw	verb	[[]]	[[]]
137	to tie	verb	[[]]	[[]]
138	to sew	verb	[[]]	[[]]
139	to count	verb	[[]]	[[]]
140	to say	verb	[[]]	[[]]
141	to sing	verb	[[]]	[[]]
142	to play	verb	[[]]	[[]]
143	to float	verb	[[]]	[[]]
144	to flow	verb	[[]]	[[]]
145	to freeze	verb	[[]]	[[]]
146	to swell	verb	[[]]	[[]]
147	sun	noun	[[]]	[[]]
148	moon	noun	[[]]	[[]]
149	star	noun	[[]]	[[]]
150	water	noun	[[]]	[[]]
151	to rain	verb	[[]]	[[]]
152	river	noun	[[]]	[[]]
153	lake	noun	[[]]	[[]]
154	sea (as in ocean)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
155	salt	noun	[[]]	[[]]
156	stone	noun	[[]]	[[]]
157	sand	noun	[[]]	[[]]
158	dust	noun	[[]]	[[]]
159	earth (as in soil)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
160	cloud	noun	[[]]	[[]]
161	fog	noun	[[]]	[[]]
162	sky	noun	[[]]	[[]]
163	wind (as in breeze)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
164	snow	noun	[[]]	[[]]
165	ice	noun	[[]]	[[]]
166	smoke	noun	[[]]	[[]]
167	fire	noun	[[]]	[[]]
168	ashes	noun	[[]]	[[]]
169	to burn (intransitive)	verb	[[]]	[[]]
170	road	noun	[[]]	[[]]
171	mountain	noun	[[]]	[[]]
172	red	adjective	color	[[]]
173	green	adjective	color	[[]]
174	yellow	adjective	color	[[]]
175	white	adjective	color	[[]]
176	black	adjective	color	[[]]
177	night	noun	[[]]	[[]]
178	day (daytime)	noun	[[]]	[[]]
179	year	noun	[[]]	[[]]
180	warm (as in weather)	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
181	cold (as in weather)	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
182	full	[[]]	[[]]	[[]]
183	new	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
184	old	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
185	good	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
186	bad	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
187	rotten (as, a log)	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
188	dirty	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
189	straight	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
190	round	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
191	sharp (as a knife)	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
192	dull (as a knife)	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
193	smooth	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
194	wet	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
195	dry (adjective)	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
196	right (correct)	[[]]	[[]]	[[]]
197	near	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
198	far	adjective	[[]]	[[]]
199	right (side)	[[]]	[[]]	[[]]
200	left (side)	[[]]	[[]]	[[]]
201	at	preposition	[[]]	[[]]
202	in	preposition	[[]]	[[]]
203	with (accompanying)	preposition	[[]]	[[]]
204	and	conjunction	[[]]	[[]]
205	if	[[]]	[[]]	[[]]
206	because	[[]]	[[]]	[[]]
207	name	noun	[[]]	[[]]