Translation and Meaning of: 古 - inishie

The Japanese word 古[いにしえ] carries a historical and poetic weight that goes beyond the simple meaning of "antiquity" or "ancient times." If you've ever wondered about the origin of this kanji, how it is used in everyday life, or even how to memorize it effectively, this article will guide you through all these details. Here on Suki Nihongo, the largest online Japanese dictionary, you can also find practical examples to include in your Anki and boost your studies.

What makes いにしえ special is precisely its duality: while it evokes a distant, almost mythical past, it still appears in modern contexts, from literature to the names of establishments. Is there a trick to not confuse its pictogram with other similar kanjis? And why is it so commonly used in classical poetry? Let’s unravel all of this below.

Etymology and Origin of the Kanji 古

The composition of the kanji 古 is a history lesson in itself. It combines the radical 十 (ten) with 口 (mouth), suggesting the idea of "ten generations passed down by oral tradition." This visually simple blend conceals an impressive cultural depth — after all, how many stories can fit in ten mouths recounting the past?

Interestingly, in archaic Chinese writing (from where kanji originated), the character represented an ancient skull, literally symbolizing things of the past. Over time, this graphic representation was softened until it reached its current form. Can you imagine how it would be to write this concept today if we kept the original drawing?

Practical Use and Cultural Contexts

While in Portuguese we use "antiquity" mainly for objects or historical periods, いにしえ has a more lyrical use in Japanese. It often appears in waka (traditional poems) to evoke an almost spiritual nostalgia for the past. Have you noticed how some words seem to carry specific emotions from a culture?

In everyday life, you will encounter this term in the names of restaurants that value traditional recipes, in antique shops, and even in titles of periodic films. An interesting case is the anime "InuYasha," where the concept of いにしえ is central to the narrative that blends past and present. Who would have thought that an apparently simple word could open doors to understanding so many aspects of Japan?

Memory Tips and Curiosities

To not forget the meaning of 古, I created a personal association that might help you: imagine an elder (represented by 十) telling ancient stories (the mouth, 口) to his grandchildren. This mental image permanently fixed the kanji in my mind. Would it work for you too?

A common trick is to confuse 古 with 右 (right) or 石 (stone), but pay close attention: while "stone" has an extra stroke coming out from the upper radical, "antiquity" maintains its simplicity. As for the pronunciation, いにしえ sounds almost like a sigh — perfect for something that speaks of bygone times. Have you tried saying it out loud to feel the melody of the word?

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 古い (Furui) - old
• 古代 (Kodai) - Antique
• 古典 (Koten) - Classic
• 古風 (Kofu) - Old style
• 古老 (Koro) - Old, ancient (usually used for people)
• 古式 (Koshiki) - Old style, traditional method
• 古今 (Kokin) - Ancient and modern
• 古墳 (Kofun) - Ancient burial mound
• 古都 (Koto) - Old capital
• 古書 (Kosho) - Old books
• 古代史 (Kodai-shi) - Ancient History
• 古代文明 (Kodai Bunmei) - Ancient civilization
• 古代遺跡 (Kodai Iseki) - Ancient Ruins
• 古代神話 (Kodai Shinwa) - Ancient mythology
• 古代史料 (Kodai Shiryō) - Ancient historical sources
• 古代語 (Kodai-go) - Ancient language
• 古代文字 (Kodai Moji) - Ancient writing
• 古代建築 (Kodai Kenchiku) - Ancient architecture
• 古代美術 (Kodai Bijutsu) - Ancient art
• 古代陶器 (Kodai Tōki) - Ancient ceramics
• 古代銅器 (Kodai Dōki) - Ancient bronze
• 古代歴史 (Kodai Rekishi) - History of antiquity
• 古代文化 (Kodai Bunka) - Ancient Culture
• 古代科学 (Kodai Kagaku) - Ancient science
• 古代哲学 (Kodai Tetsugaku) - Ancient philosophy
• 古代医学 (Kodai Igaku) - Ancient medicine
• 古代法律 (Kodai Hōritsu) - Old laws
• 古代戦争 (Kodai Sensō) - Ancient wars
• 古代王朝 (Kodai Ōchō) - Ancient Dynasties
• 古代国家 (Kodai Kokka) - Ancient States
• 古代民族 (Kodai Minzoku) - Ancient peoples
• 古代社会 (Kodai Shakai) - Ancient society
• 古代宗教 (Kodai Shūkyō) - Ancient religions

古

Romaji: inishie
Kana: いにしえ
Type: noun
L: -

Translation / Meaning: antique; old times

Meaning in English: antiquity;ancient times

Definition: Ancient: something that has existed for a long time. Additionally, it refers to the old times.

Example Sentences - (古) inishie

See below some example sentences:

古い寺は美しいです。

Furui tera wa utsukushii desu

Old temples are beautiful.

The old temple is beautiful.

• 古い - old
• 寺 - temple
• は - Topic particle
• 美しい - beautiful
• です - verb ser/estar (polite)

古い建物がたくさんある町に住んでいます。

Furui tatemono ga takusan aru machi ni sunde imasu

I live in a city with many old buildings.

I live in a city with many old buildings.

• 古い - old
• 建物 - buildings
• が - subject particle
• たくさん - many
• ある - there are
• 町 - city
• に - Location particle
• 住んでいます - I live

神話は古代の人々の信仰や文化を伝える大切な物語です。

Shinwa wa kodai no hitobito no shinkō ya bunka o tsutaeru taisetsu na monogatari desu

Myth is an important story that conveys the religion and culture of ancient people.

• 神話 - Myth
• は - Topic particle
• 古代 - Antique
• の - Possession particle
• 人々 - people
• の - Possession particle
• 信仰 - Faith
• や - enumeration particle
• 文化 - culture
• を - object particle
• 伝える - transmit
• 大切 - important
• な - Suffix indicating adjective
• 物語 - history
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

神殿は古代の信仰の象徴です。

Shinden wa kodai no shinkō no shōchō desu

The temple is a symbol of the ancient faith.

The temple is a symbol of ancient religion.

• 神殿 - temple
• は - Topic particle
• 古代 - old
• の - Possessive particle
• 信仰 - Faith, belief
• の - Possessive particle
• 象徴 - symbol
• です - Verb to be

私は古い靴を新しいものと替えました。

Watashi wa furui kutsu o atarashii mono to kaemashita

I changed my old shoes for new ones.

I changed old shoes with new ones.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 古い (furui) - Japanese adjective meaning "old"
• 靴 (kutsu) - Japanese noun meaning "shoe"
• を (wo) - direct object particle indicating the object of the action
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• もの (mono) - A palavra japonesa que significa "coisa" é "もの" (mono).
• と (to) - particle indicating joint action, in this case, changing shoes
• 替えました (kaemashita) - Japanese verb meaning "changed"

私は古い着物を繕いました。

Watashi wa furui kimono wo tsukuroimashita

I fixed an old kimono.

I noticed the old kimono.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 古い (furui) - adjective meaning "old"
• 着物 (kimono) - noun meaning "kimono", a traditional Japanese garment
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 繕いました (tsukuraimashita) - verb that means "I fixed" or "I repaired"

私は古い切手を集めるのが好きです。

Watashi wa furui kitte o atsumeru no ga suki desu

I like to collect old stamps.

I like collecting old stamps.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
• 古い (furui) - adjective meaning "old"
• 切手 (kitte) - noun meaning "seal"
• を (wo) - Particle that marks the direct object of the sentence
• 集める (atsumeru) - verb meaning "to collect"
• のが (noga) - particle that connects the verb with the adjective and indicates that "collecting old stamps" is what the person likes to do
• 好き (suki) - adjective meaning "to like"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite form of the sentence