Translation and Meaning of: 新しい - atarashii

Se você está aprendendo japonês, certamente já se deparou com a palavra 新しい (あたらしい), que significa "novo". Mas será que você sabe como ela surgiu, como é usada no dia a dia ou até mesmo como memorizá-la mais facilmente? Neste artigo, vamos explorar a fundo essa palavra essencial, desde sua etimologia até dicas práticas para fixá-la na mente. Aqui no Suki Nihongo, o maior dicionário de japonês online, você também vai descobrir como escrever corretamente o kanji e ainda aprender frases prontas para incluir no seu Anki ou outro sistema de memorização espaçada.

Além do significado básico, há muito o que desvendar sobre あたらしい. Por exemplo, você sabia que essa palavra tem uma conexão interessante com o conceito de "frescor" e "renovação"? E que seu kanji esconde uma história visual que pode ajudar na memorização? Vamos lá!

Etymology and Origin of 新しい

A palavra 新しい tem raízes antigas no japonês, remontando ao período Heian (794-1185). Originalmente, era escrita como "あたらし" (atarashi) e só mais tarde recebeu o kanji 新. Curiosamente, alguns linguistas acreditam que o termo está relacionado ao conceito de "valor" (価値), já que coisas novas costumam ser mais valiosas. Outra teoria sugere uma ligação com "ata" (貴), que significa "precioso" – afinal, o novo sempre parece mais especial, não é?

The kanji 新 is a fascinating pictographic combination. It unites the radical for "tree" (木) with "cut" (斤), literally symbolizing "cutting fresh wood." This mental image can be useful for memorizing the character: think of lumberjacks working with freshly cut logs, still smelling of resin. This concrete association helps to solidify both the writing and the meaning.

Lies in Japanese Everyday Life

No Japão, あたらしい vai muito além de simplesmente descrever objetos recém-adquiridos. Ela carrega uma nuance de frescor e possibilidade. Quando um japonês diz "新しい携帯" (novo celular), há um brilho nos olhos – é quase como se estivesse falando de um novo começo. Essa palavra aparece constantemente em propagandas, especialmente no lançamento de produtos tecnológicos, onde a novidade é um valor supremo.

An interesting usage is in the expression "新しい風" (atarashii kaze), which literally means "new wind," but refers to a sense of renewal, whether in politics, business, or even relationships. It is also common to hear "新しいことを始める" (starting something new) during the Japanese New Year, showing how the culture values new beginnings. Try using this phrase the next time you want to impress a Japanese friend with your plans!

Tips for Memorization and Curiosities

To remember the kanji 新, how about creating a visual story? Imagine that the left side (木) is a tree, and the right side (斤) is an axe chopping it – you are literally "doing something new" by transforming the wood. As for the pronunciation, notice how "あたらしい" sounds like "a ta ra shi i" – almost as if you're presenting something enthusiastically: "Ah, see? Ha! Shi! It's new!"

A cultural curiosity: in Japan, saying that something is "新しい" can have positive or negative connotations. While new products are celebrated, in human relations it may suggest a lack of experience. Therefore, be cautious when calling your boss "新しい社長" (new president) – it's better to use "新任の" (newly appointed) to sound more polite. So, are you ready to use 新しい like a native?

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 新しい (Atarashii) - New; recent
• 新規の (Shinki no) - new; unprecedented; used to describe something that has not been used before, such as a product or service.
• 新たな (Aratana) - new; renewed; used in more formal contexts
• 新たなる (Aratanaru) - uma nova forma
• 新しき (Atarashiki) - new; an ancient or literary form of "new"
• 新しめ (Atarashime) - relatively new; a bit new
• 新た (Arata) - new; used in more formal contexts
• 新しいもの (Atarashii mono) - new thing; new item or object
• 新しい方 (Atarashii kata) - a new person; a way to refer to someone new
• 新しいの (Atarashii no) - the new; used informally to refer to something new
• 新しいこと (Atarashii koto) - new thing; a new situation or fact
• 新しい形 (Atarashii katachi) - new form; referring to a new format or structure
• 新しいタイプ (Atarashii taipu) - new type; a new style or category
• 新しいスタイル (Atarashii sutairu) - new style; used in contexts of fashion or design
• 新しいデザイン (Atarashii dezain) - new design; referring to a new project or aesthetic
• 新しいアイデア (Atarashii aidea) - new idea; a new concept
• 新しい発想 (Atarashii hassou) - new thought; a new way of thinking
• 新しい試み (Atarashii kokoromi) - new effort; a new attempt or experiment
• 新しい展開 (Atarashii tenkai) - new development; a new evolution in a situation
• 新しい挑戦 (Atarashii chousen) - new challenge; a new test or adventure
• 新しいスタート (Atarashii sutaato) - new beginning; a new start
• 新しい人生 (Atarashii jinsei) - new life; a new path in life
• 新しい世界 (Atarashii sekai) - new world; a new space for experiences
• 新しい時代 (Atarashii jidai) - new era; a new historical or cultural phase
• 新しい風 (Atarashii kaze) - new wind; a new perspective or influence
• 新しい息吹 (Atarashii ibuki) - new breath; a new strength or vitality
• 新しい血液 (Atarashii ketsueki) - new blood; symbolizing new energies or influences
• 新しいエネルギー (Atarashii enerugi) - new energy; a new strength or vigor
• 新しい可能性 (Atarashii kanousei) - new possibilities; new opportunities or potentials
• 新しい未来 (Atarashii mirai) - new future; new perspectives for tomorrow

新しい

Romaji: atarashii
Kana: あたらしい
Type: adjective
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: new

Meaning in English: new

Definition: Something that recently appeared or was created.

Example Sentences - (新しい) atarashii

See below some example sentences:

新しい冒険を始めよう。

Atarashii bouken wo hajimeyou

Start a new adventure.

• 新しい - new
• 冒険 - Adventure
• を - direct object particle
• 始めよう - let's start

新しい未来を迎える。

Atarashii mirai wo mukaeru

Receive a new future.

A new future.

• 新しい (Atarashii) - new
• 未来 (Mirai) - future
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 迎える (Mukaeru) - receber, acolher

新しい始まりがある。

Atarashii hajimari ga aru

There is a new beginning.

• 新しい - means "new" in Japanese.
• 始まり - It means "beginning" or "start" in Japanese.
• が - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• ある - means "to exist" or "to be" in Japanese.

新入生は新しい環境に慣れるのに時間がかかることがあります。

Shinnyūsei wa atarashii kankyō ni nareru no ni jikan ga kakaru koto ga arimasu

New students can take time to get used to a new environment.

• 新入生 - "new students"
• は - it is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "new students".
• 新しい - means "new" in Japanese.
• 環境 - It means "environment" in Japanese.
• に - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the direction or target of the action, in this case "to" the new environment.
• 慣れる - It means "to get used to" in Japanese.
• のに - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates a condition or a reason, in this case "to" get used to the new environment.
• 時間 - "tempo" means "time" in Japanese.
• がかかる - it's a Japanese expression that means "to take time" or "to be necessary time".
• こと - it is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates an action or an event, in this case "to take time".
• あります - It is a polite way to say "there is" or "there are" in Japanese.

次々に新しいアイデアを出していく。

Tsugitsugi ni atarashii aidea wo dashite iku

We will give new ideas one after another.

• 次々に - adverb that indicates a consecutive action, one after the other;
• 新しい - adjective meaning "new";
• アイデア - noun meaning "idea";
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence;
• 出していく - compound verb meaning "to launch, present" and "to continue doing something in the future."

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"

私は新しい仕事に就くことを決めました。

Watashi wa atarashii shigoto ni tsuku koto o kimemashita

I decided to take on a new job.

I decided to get a new job.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• 仕事 (shigoto) - 日本語の名詞で「仕事」という意味です。
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the direction or target of an action
• 就く (tsuku) - Japanese verb that means "to assume" or "to start"
• こと (koto) - Japanese noun that indicates an action or event
• を (wo) - direct object particle that indicates the target of the action
• 決めました (kimemashita) - Japanese verb in the past that means "decided"

私は新しいレシピを試みることに決めました。

Watashi wa atarashii reshipi o kokoromiru koto ni kimemashita

I decided to try a new recipe.

I decided to try a new recipe.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• レシピ (reshipi) - Japanese noun that means "recipe".
• を (wo) - direct object particle indicating the object of the action, in this case "recipe"
• 試みる (kokoromiru) - Japanese verb that means "to try"
• ことに (koto ni) - expression that indicates the intention or decision to do something
• 決めました (kimemashita) - Japanese verb meaning "decide" in the past tense

私は新しい提案を考えています。

Watashi wa atarashii teian o kangaeteimasu

I'm thinking of a new proposal.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• 提案 (teian) - Japanese noun meaning "proposal"
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the action, in this case, "proposal"
• 考えています (kangaeteimasu) - Japanese verb meaning "I'm thinking"

私は新しいレシピを試すことが好きです。

Watashi wa atarashii reshipi o tamesu koto ga suki desu

I like to try new recipes.

I like to try a new recipe.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
• レシピ (reshipi) - Japanese noun that means "recipe".
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• 試す (tamesu) - Japanese verb that means "to try" or "to test"
• こと (koto) - Japanese noun that means "thing" or "action"
• が (ga) - Japanese particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き (suki) - Japanese adjective that means "like"
• です (desu) - Japanese auxiliary verb that indicates present tense and formality of the sentence