何事

何事

1. (literary) what is it; what is the matter

何事

1. (literary) why

   • 人生若只如初見，何事秋風悲畫扇。 [Ci, trad.]
     人生若只如初见，何事秋风悲画扇。 [Ci, simp.]

     From: circa 1655-1685, Nara Singde (納蘭性德),《木蘭花·擬古決絕詞柬友》

     Rénshēng ruòzhǐ rú chūjiàn, héshì qiūfēng bēi huàshàn. [Pinyin]

     If life remained the same as in th’ days we first met, Why should autumn wind make th’ painted fan grieve and fret?

   • 不應有恨，何事偏向別時圓？ [Ci, trad.]
     不应有恨，何事偏向别时圆？ [Ci, simp.]

     From: c. 1076, Su Shi (蘇軾),《水調歌頭·中秋》, translated by Xu Yuanchong

     Bùyīng yǒu hèn, héshì piān xiàng bié shí yuán? [Pinyin]

     Against man she should have no spite, Why then when people part is she oft full and bright?

   • 寂寂江山搖落處，憐君何事到天涯！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     寂寂江山摇落处，怜君何事到天涯！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 773-777, Liu Changqing (劉長卿),《長沙過賈誼宅》

     Jìjì jiāngshān yáoluò chù, lián jūn héshì dào tiānyá! [Pinyin]

     You were left with lonely river and mountain amidst falling leaves. I pity you (along with myself) for being relegated to such a remote place without knowing why!

• (Tokyo) なにごと [nànígótó] (Heiban – [0])[1]
• IPA^(key): [na̠ɲ̟iɡo̞to̞]

何(なに)事(ごと) • (nanigoto) 

1. what sort of matter
   • c. late 9th-mid-10th century, Taketori Monogatari:

     かぐや姫「なにごとをか、のたまはん事は、うけたまはらざらむ。 […] 」

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2018, 新幹線、無数の血痕…逮捕の男「むしゃくしゃした」 in 『産経ニュース』 (Sankei News)

     何(なに)事(ごと)かと思(おも)った。まさか事(じ)件(けん)とは

     Nanigoto ka to omotta. Masaka jiken to wa

     I was wondering if something had happened. I would have never imagined that it would be a crime…

   • 2018, 豪雨、猛暑に台風　被災住民「くたびれた」 in 『毎日新聞』 (Mainichi Shimbun)

     何(なに)事(ごと)もなく台(たい)風(ふう)が過(す)ぎることを願(ねが)っている

     nanigoto mo naku taifū ga sugiru koto o negatteiru

     I am hoping that the typhoon will go away without any incidents

2. unspecified matter
   • c. late 9th-mid-10th century, Taketori Monogatari:

     竹取の翁、「この匠が申ことはなに事ぞ」と傾きをり。

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • c. late 9th-mid-10th century, Taketori Monogatari:

     これを見て、「あが佛、なに事（ごと）思ひたまふぞ。思すらんこと何（なに）ごとぞ」と言へば […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• 何(なに) (nani)
• 何(なに)物(もの) (nanimono)
• 何(なに)者(もの) (nanimono)

• Sakakura, Atsuyoshi with Yūichi Ōtsu, Hiroshi Tsukishima, Toshiko Abe, and Imai Gen'e (1957) Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 9: Taketori Monogatari, Ise Monogatari, Yamato Monogatari (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN.