Translation and Meaning of: 和 - wa

Etymology of the word 「和」

The Japanese word 「和」, pronounced "wa", has a rich etymology and history. The character 「和」 is composed of two main radicals: 「禾」, which represents "cereal" or "grain", and 「口」, which means "mouth". Together, these elements denote the idea of harmony and peace, possibly evoking the image of unity or cooperation in an agricultural context, where food was a fundamental bond.

Definition and Use of 「和」

In modern Japanese, 「和」 has various meanings. Primarily, it is associated with ideas of "harmony" and "peace." However, its usage extends to cultural contexts, referring to traditionally Japanese elements, such as in 「和食」 (washoku), meaning "Japanese food," or 「和服」 (wafuku), referring to traditional Japanese clothing. Additionally, 「和」 is often used in personal names and is a symbol of cultural and national identity.

Historical and Cultural Origin of 「和」

Historically, the term 「和」 has been emblematic in Japan. During the Asuka period (593 to 710), the term was used to designate Japan itself, emphasizing the search for harmony and unity in the archipelago. This concept of social harmony continues to profoundly influence Japanese cultural values to this day. In philosophy, "wa" is often contrasted with "do," which represents a path or method, exemplifying how different forces can coexist peacefully.

The influence of 「和」 is not limited to Japanese culture. In the world of martial arts, for example, 「和」 is incorporated into disciplines like Aikido, where harmony is fundamental both in practice and philosophy. Thus, the word continues to be a pillar in Japanese values and traditions, influencing everything from daily practices to more abstract concepts of coexistence and cooperation.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 和 (Wa) - Harmony
• 和らぎ (Yaragi) - Tranquility; easing of tension
• 調和 (Chōwa) - Harmony; balance between elements
• 協調 (Kyōchō) - Cooperation; synergy between groups
• 一致 (Icchi) - Agreement; 一致 (communion of thoughts or actions)

和

Romaji: wa
Kana: わ
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: soma; harmony; peace

Meaning in English: sum;harmony;peace

Definition: About Japanese.

Example Sentences - (和) wa

See below some example sentences:

和を大切にしましょう。

wa wo taisetsu ni shimashou

Let's appreciate the sum.

• 和 - It means "harmony" or "peace" in Japanese.
• を - The object particle in Japanese indicates that "harmonia" is the object of the sentence.
• 大切 - means "important" or "valuable" in Japanese.
• に - destination particle in Japanese indicates that "important" is the destination of the sentence.
• しましょう - The polite form of the verb "to do" in Japanese indicates a suggestion or request to do something.

和風の料理が大好きです。

Watashi wa wafū no ryōri ga daisuki desu

I love Japanese food.

I love Japanese style dishes.

• 和風 - Japanese style
• の - Possession particle
• 料理 - food/kitchen
• が - subject particle
• 大好き - like it a lot
• です - Verb ser/estar (polite form)

国連は世界平和と安全を促進するための重要な組織です。

Kokuren wa sekai heiwa to anzen o sokushin suru tame no juuyou na soshiki desu

The United Nations is an important organization for promoting world peace and security.

• 国連 (Kokuren) - 国際連合 (こくさいれんごう)
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 世界 (sekai) - world
• 平和 (heiwa) - peace
• と (to) - grammatical particle that connects words or phrases with the same meaning
• 安全 (anzen) - security
• を (wo) - grammatical particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• 促進する (sokushin suru) - promote, encourage
• ための (tame no) - expression indicating the purpose of something
• 重要な (juuyou na) - important
• 組織 (soshiki) - organization
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

抗争は平和的な解決が望ましい。

Kousou wa heiwateki na kaiketsu ga nozomashii

The convention is desirable for a peaceful solution.

• 抗争 (kousou) - Conflict, dispute
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 平和的な (heiwa-teki na) - peaceful, quiet
• 解決 (kaiketsu) - resolution, solution
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 望ましい (nozomashii) - desirable, preferable

温和な性格を持っています。

Onwa na seikaku wo motte imasu

I have a gentle personality.

I have a light personality.

• 温和な - friendly, gentle, soft
• 性格 - personality, character
• を - direct object particle
• 持っています - Land, possess

私の理想は世界平和です。

Watashi no risou wa sekai heiwa desu

My ideal is world peace.

• 私 - personal pronoun meaning "I" in Japanese.
• の - Title that indicates possession or expiration.
• 理想 - noun that means "ideal" or "dream".
• は - Particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 世界 - Noun that means "world".
• 平和 - The noun that means "peace".
• です - verb "to be" in the present, indicating the assertion of the sentence.

私の願いは世界平和です。

Watashi no negai wa sekai heiwa desu

My desire is for world peace.

My desire is world peace.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 願い - noun meaning "desire"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 世界 - noun that means "world"
• 平和 - noun meaning "peace"
• です - verb to be in the polite form

緩和することが必要です。

Kanwa suru koto ga hitsuyou desu

It is necessary to relax.

• 緩和する - It means "relieve" or "ease". It is a verb in the dictionary form.
• こと - means "thing" or "fact". It is a noun that functions as a nominal marker to indicate that the previous verb is the subject of the sentence.
• が - it is a particle that marks the subject of the sentence. In this case, it indicates that "aliviar" is the subject.
• 必要 - "necessário" means "necessary". It is an adjective in the dictionary form.
• です - It is a polite way of saying "to be" or "to be". In this case, it indicates that the sentence is a statement and that what was said is true.

清濁を分ける

Seidaku wo wakeru

Separate the pure from the unclean.

Divide the turbidity

• 清 - "dry; clear; clean"
• 濁 - "turbidity; impurity; dirt"
• を - object particle
• 分ける - "to divide; to separate; to share"