Translation and Meaning of: 昨 - saku

If you are studying Japanese or simply curious about the language, you may have come across the word 昨[さく]. It appears in various contexts, from news to everyday conversations, but its meaning is not always obvious to beginners. In this article, we will explore what this word represents, how it is used in practice, and some tips for memorizing it effectively.

In addition to understanding the translation of 昨[さく], it is important to know its role in the structure of the Japanese language. This word has a quite specific use and frequently appears in combination with other terms, forming common expressions. Let's uncover these details and show how you can apply it correctly in your studies or conversations.

Meaning and usage of 昨[さく]

The word 昨[さく] carries the meaning of "past" or "last," and is often used to refer to something that happened the day before or in the recent period. For example, 昨日[さくじつ] means "yesterday," while 昨年[さくねん] translates to "last year." This is one of the most common ways to refer to recent events in Japanese.

The interesting thing is that 昨[さく] almost never appears alone in contemporary Japanese. It is always accompanied by another kanji, forming compound terms. This characteristic makes its learning easier, as you can directly associate it with the most commonly used words that contain it. Memorizing these fixed combinations is an effective strategy to expand your vocabulary.

Origin and writing of kanji

The kanji 昨 is composed of the radical 日 (sun/day) combined with 乍, which historically represented the concept of "sudden" or "recent". This combination creates the idea of something that happened on the day immediately before, hence its association with the recent past. Interestingly, this same kanji can also be read as "saku" in some contexts, although this pronunciation is much less common.

In writing, it's important to pay attention to the order of the strokes to reproduce the kanji correctly. Start with the top horizontal stroke of the radical 日, followed by the left vertical stroke. Then complete the internal strokes before moving to the right side. This sequence helps to maintain the proportion and balance of the character, which is essential in Japanese calligraphy.

Tips for memorization and practical use

One effective way to memorize 昨[さく] is to associate it with words you already know. For example, if you know that 日 means "day," it's easier to remember that 昨日 is "yesterday" (the day that has already passed). Creating flashcards with these combinations can significantly speed up the learning process, especially if you practice regularly.

Another valuable tip is to pay attention to how the Japanese use this word in their daily lives. In newspapers and news reports, expressions like 昨年度[さくねんど] (last fiscal year) appear frequently. Watching authentic content in Japanese will help you recognize these uses naturally, making it easier to incorporate them into your own active vocabulary.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 昨日 (kinou) - Yesterday
• 昨年 (sakunen) - Last year
• 昨夜 (sakuya) - Last night
• 昨秋 (sakuaki) - Last autumn
• 昨春 (sakushun) - Last spring

昨

Romaji: saku
Kana: さく
Type: noun
L: -

Translation / Meaning: last year); yesterday

Meaning in English: last (year);yesterday

Definition: Yesterday: Previous. Previous. In the past.

Example Sentences - (昨) saku

See below some example sentences:

一昨日はとても暑かったです。

Ototoi wa totemo atsukatta desu

The day before yesterday it was very hot.

The previous day was very hot.

• 一昨日 (ototoi) - the day before yesterday
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• とても (totemo) - very
• 暑かった (atsukatta) - It was hot
• です (desu) - polite way of being

一昨日はとても暑かったです。

Ototoi wa totemo atsukatta desu

The previous day was very hot.

• 一昨日 (ototoi) - the day before yesterday
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• とても (totemo) - very
• 暑かった (atsukatta) - It was hot
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

一昨年の夏に日本を訪れました。

Issakunen no natsu ni Nihon wo otozuremashita

I visited Japan two years ago.

• 一昨年 - "the year before last", i.e. "the year before last"
• の - Possession particle
• 夏 - "summer"
• に - particle of time
• 日本 - Japan
• を - direct object particle
• 訪れました - "visited"

昨日はとても暑かったです。

Kinou wa totemo atsukatta desu

Yesterday was very hot.

It was very hot yesterday.

• 昨日 (kinou) - Yesterday
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• とても (totemo) - Very
• 暑かった (atsukatta) - It was hot
• です (desu) - polite way of being