Translation and Meaning of: 日 - hi

Etymology and Definition of 「日」 (hi)

The word 「日」 (hi) in Japanese generally refers to the concept of "day" or "sun". Its etymology traces back to classical Chinese characters, where the kanji 「日」 symbolized the sun, thus representing illumination and the daily cycle. It is one of the most fundamental kanjis in Japanese, often appearing in combination with other kanjis to form words related to time and light.

Origin and Use of 「日」 in Japanese Culture

The origin of the use of 「日」 can be traced back to the use of kanji writing from China, incorporated into Japanese through cultural and commercial influences over a thousand years ago. In the Japanese language, this kanji plays a crucial role not only in the conception of time but also in Japanese cultural identity, as seen in terms like 「日本」 (Nihon), which means "Japan" and literally translates as "origin of the sun."

Variations and Applications of the Word

• "Sunday" - the day of the sun.
• "Every day"
• "Today" (kyou) - today, incorporating the concept of the current day.

Each of these variations shows how 「日」 is integrated to create new meanings, always related to time or light. The versatility of the kanji 「日」 in the Japanese language makes it an essential and ubiquitous component in everyday communication.

Being such an ancient and integral kanji, 「日」 has a depth that goes beyond simple representations of time. It encapsulates the natural cycle, the passage of time, and even cultural identity, as in the case of Japan being known as the "Land of the Rising Sun." It is fascinating to observe how a single character can carry so much meaning and history within itself.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 日 (にち) - dia, sol
• 日 (ひ) - dia, sol
• 曜日 (ようび) - day of the week (when used as part of the word to designate a specific day)
• 日 (か) - day, sun (a more specific or poetic usage)
• 実 (じつ) - reality, truth (they do not have the same basic meaning but can be used in certain contexts related to real days)
• 日 (じつ) - day, common in more formal expressions

日

Romaji: hi
Kana: ひ
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: sun; sunlight; day

Meaning in English: sun;sunshine;day

Definition: Time division for a day.

Example Sentences - (日) hi

See below some example sentences:

私は毎日勤務しています。

Watashi wa mainichi kinmu shiteimasu

I work everyday.

I work every day.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 毎日 - adverb meaning "every day"
• 勤務 - noun that means "work" or "service"
• しています - verb "suru" in the present continuous, indicating an ongoing action

私は短大で日本語を勉強しました。

Watashi wa tandaide nihongo o benkyō shimashita

I studied Japanese in technical college.

I studied Japanese at a junior college.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 短大 - abbreviation of "短期大学", which means "short-term college" in Japanese.
• で - particle that indicates the place where an action occurs, in this case "at the university"
• 日本語 - noun that means "Japanese" in Japanese
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case "studying Japanese"
• 勉強 - verb that means "to study" in Japanese
• しました - past form of the verb "する", which means "to do" in Japanese, indicating that the action of studying Japanese was completed in the past

私は毎日励んでいます。

Watashi wa mainichi hageman de imasu

I make an effort every day.

I work hard every day.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 毎日 - adverb meaning "every day"
• 励んでいます - verb that means "to strive" or "to work hard," conjugated in the polite present continuous

私の母国は日本です。

Watashi no bokoku wa Nihon desu

My home country is Japan.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession, equivalent to "of"
• 母国 - "native country"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, equivalent to "is"
• 日本 - noun meaning "Japan"
• です - verb "to be" in the present, equivalent to "is"

私は日本で育ちました。

Watashi wa Nihon de sodachimashita

I grew up in Japan.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 日本 - noun meaning "Japan"
• で - particle indicating the place where the action took place
• 育ちました - "verb" means "to grow" or "to be created"

私は毎日歯を磨きます。

Watashi wa mainichi ha wo migakimasu

I brush my teeth every day.

I brush my teeth every day.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 毎日 - adverb meaning "every day"
• 歯 - noun that means "tooth"
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case "tooth"
• 磨きます - verb that means "to brush"

私は今日友達の家に寄ります。

Watashi wa kyō tomodachi no ie ni yorimasu

I'm going to my friend's house today.

I'm stopping at my friend's house today.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 今日 - noun that means "today"
• 友達 - noun meaning "friend"
• の - particle that indicates possession, in this case "of the friend"
• 家 - noun that means "house"
• に - particle that indicates destination, in this case "for"
• 寄ります - verb that means "to visit"

私は毎日料理を練ることが好きです。

Watashi wa mainichi ryōri o neru koto ga suki desu

I like to practice cooking every day.

I like to cook every day.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 毎日 - adverb meaning "every day"
• 料理 - noun that means "to cook" or "cuisine"
• を - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 練る - verb that means "to train" or "to practice"
• こと - noun meaning "thing" or "fact"
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き - adjective meaning "to like" or "to appreciate"
• です - auxiliary verb that indicates the present tense and formality of the sentence

私は毎日弁当を持っています。

Watashi wa mainichi bentou wo motteimasu

I take a lunch box every day.

I lunch every day.

• 私 - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は - topic particle in Japanese, used to indicate the theme of the sentence
• 毎日 - means "every day" in Japanese
• 弁当 - means "lunchbox" in Japanese
• を - object particle in Japanese, used to indicate the direct object of the sentence
• 持っています - means "I have" in Japanese, being that 持って (motte) means "to carry" or "to have in hands" and います (imasu) is the polite form of the verb "to be" or "to be".

私たちは毎日同じクラスで勉強しています。

Watashitachi wa mainichi onaji kurasu de benkyou shiteimasu

We study every day in the same class.

We study in the same class every day.

• 私たち - 私たち
• は - Japanese topic particle
• 毎日 - "todos os dias" in Japanese
• 同じ - "the same" in Japanese
• クラス - "class" in Japanese
• で - Location particle in Japanese
• 勉強 - study in Japanese
• しています - The polished form of the verb "fazer" in Japanese