尊い

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
尊
とうと
Grade: 6
kun’yomi
Alternative spelling
貴い

⟨taputo1ki⟩ → */taɸutokʲi/ → /toːtoi/

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.[1] From the 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) of Early Middle Japanese adjective 尊し (tōtoshi), with the medial /-k-/ falling out.

Possibly derived from 太い (futoi, “fat”).[1]

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) とーと​い [tòótóꜜì] (Nakadaka – [3])[2]
  • IPA(key): [to̞ːto̞i]
  • Tokyo pitch accent of inflected forms of "尊い"
Source: Online Japanese Accent Dictionary
Stem forms
Continuative (連用形) 尊く とーと​く [tòótóꜜkù]
Terminal (終止形) 尊い とーと​い [tòótóꜜì]
Attributive (連体形) 尊い とーと​い [tòótóꜜì]
Key constructions
Informal negative 尊くない とーと​くない [tòótóꜜkùnàì]
Informal past 尊かった とーと​かった [tòótóꜜkàttà]
Informal negative past 尊かった とーと​かった [tòótóꜜkàttà]
Formal 尊いです とーと​いです [tòótóꜜìdèsù]
Conjunctive 尊くて とーと​くて [tòótóꜜkùtè]
Conditional 尊ければ とーと​ければ [tòótóꜜkèrèbà]

Adjective

尊(とうと)い • (tōtoi) ←たふとい (tafutoi)?-i (adverbial 尊(とうと)く (tōtoku))

  1. noble; exalted; sacred
  2. precious; valuable
  3. (Internet slang) glorious; marvelous; wonderful (of a higher level of praise than 萌え (moe))
Inflection
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
尊
たっと
Grade: 6
kun’yomi
Alternative spelling
貴い

Shift from the classical form of 尊(とうと)い (tōtoi) above: たふとし /tafutosi/ → たつとし /taQtosi/.

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) たっと​い [tàttóꜜì] (Nakadaka – [3])[2]
  • IPA(key): [ta̠t̚to̞i]

Adjective

尊(たっと)い • (tattoi) ←たつとい (tatutoi)?-i (adverbial 尊(たっと)く (tattoku))

  1. noble; exalted; sacred
  2. precious; valuable
Inflection

References

  1. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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