Translation and Meaning of: 約 - yaku

The Japanese word 「約」, pronounced as "yaku," is a kanji character with origins tracing back to ancient Chinese writing. In etymology, this kanji is composed of the radicals 「糸」(ito), which means "thread" or "line," and 「勺」(shaku), which represents a spoon or measurement. Together, these elements convey the idea of "connecting" or "uniting," giving rise to the meaning of "contract" or "promise" that the word possesses today.

In the linguistic context of Japanese, "yaku" serves to indicate concepts of promise, commitment, or agreement. This aligns perfectly with its frequent use in situations involving commitment, such as in contracts and agreements. Furthermore, the expression can also mean "approximately" or "around" when used to specify quantity or number, reflecting the idea of approximation or generalization.

The use of the term "yaku" extends to various compound words. For example, 「予約」(yoyaku) means "reservation" or "booking," while 「約束」(yakusoku) means "promise" or "agreement." These compounds show the flexibility and breadth of 「約」 in the Japanese vocabulary. It is interesting to note how the notion of "connection" or "link" is present in both cases, reinforcing the original meaning of the character.

The practical application of "yaku" in Japanese culture is broad. In business, legal, and even social contexts, having a clear understanding and the ability to use this word correctly is crucial. So significant is its importance that, when traveling or working in Japan, familiarizing oneself with the concept of "yaku" and its derivatives can greatly facilitate communication and understanding of commitments and expectations.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• おおよそ (ōyoso) - approximately, in general
• ほぼ (hobo) - almost, almost all
• およそ (oyoso) - approximately, on average
• あたり (atari) - about, around
• くらい (kurai) - about, approximately, around

約

Romaji: yaku
Kana: やく
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: about; about; some

Meaning in English: approximately;about;some

Definition: Displaying fractions after the decimal point to measure or indicate a quantity or time.

Example Sentences - (約) yaku

See below some example sentences:

彼は約束を破った。

Kare wa yakusoku wo yabutta

He broke the promise.

He broke his promise.

• 彼 - The Japanese pronoun that means "he" is 彼 (かれ, kare).
• は - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "he".
• 約束 - Japanese noun that means "promise"
• を - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case "promise".
• 破った - The Japanese verb in the past that means "broke" or "violated" is "壊れた" (kowareta).

彼は約束を背いた。

Kare wa yakusoku o somuita

He broke the promise.

He promised.

• 彼 - The Japanese pronoun that means "he" is 彼 (かれ, kare).
• は - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 約束 - Japanese noun that means "promise"
• を - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• 背いた - Japanese verb meaning "to break" or "to violate", conjugated in the past tense

「彼女との約束は無しです。」

Kanojo to no yakusoku wa nashi desu

There is no promise to her.

• 彼女との約束 - means "commitment to girlfriend"
• は - Topic particle
• 無し - means "there is no"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form

短縮することで時間を節約できます。

Tanshuku suru koto de jikan wo setsuyaku dekimasu

You can save time by going down.

• 短縮する - shorten, reduce
• ことで - Through, by means of
• 時間 - time
• を - direct object particle
• 節約 - economy, savings
• できます - it can be done, it is possible

私は小遣いを節約する必要があります。

Watashi wa kozukai o setsuyaku suru hitsuyō ga arimasu

I need to save my pocket money.

I need to save pocket money.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese topic particle indicating the subject of the sentence
• 小遣い (kodzukai) - Japanese noun meaning "allowance" or "pocket money"
• を (wo) - Japanese object particle indicating the direct object of the action
• 節約する (setsuyaku suru) - Japanese verb meaning "to save"
• 必要があります (hitsuyou ga arimasu) - Japanese expression meaning "it is necessary"

私はレストランの予約をした。

Watashi wa resutoran no yoyaku o shita

I made a reservation at the restaurant.

I made a reservation for a restaurant.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topical particle indicating the subject of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• レストラン - Japanese word that means "restaurant"
• の - particle indicating possession or relationship, in this case, "of the restaurant"
• 予約 - Japanese word that means "reserva"
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case, "the reservation"
• した - Japanese verb meaning "did" or "accomplished"

私たちは婚約を発表しました。

Watashitachi wa kon'yaku o happyō shimashita

We announced our engagement.

We announced an engagement.

• 私たちは - Personal pronoun "we"
• 婚約 - engagement
• を - object particle
• 発表 - announce
• しました - verb "to do" conjugated in the past

節約は賢明な選択です。

Setsuyaku wa kenmei na sentaku desu

Saving is a wise choice.

Saving is a wise choice.

• 節約 - means "economy" or "savings".
• は - Grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 賢明 - means "wise" or "intelligent".
• な - grammatical particle that modifies the adjective "賢明".
• 選択 - means "choice".
• です - verb ser/estar in the polite form.