Japanese word

有様

Pronunciation

Romajiarisama

Meaning

  • nounstate

Example

今の社会の有様に驚きました。ima no sha kai no arisama ni odoro ki ma shi ta

I was surprised by the state of society today.

Illustration for 有様 (state)

More examples

写真は、当時の村の有様を今に伝えています。sha shin wa tō ji no mura no arisama o ima ni tsuta e te i ma su

The photograph conveys what the village looked like at the time.

Core concept

Describes the way something exists or appears at a particular time, including the circumstances surrounding it.

Common phrases

  • 惨めな有様miji me na arisama

    a miserable sight

Similar words

状態jōtai: The condition of something at a particular time.
様子yōsu: The way something looks or seems to an observer.
実態jittai: The actual condition of something, often beneath its outward appearance.
現状genjō: The condition that exists at the present time.

Definition in Japanese

物事や人のある時点での状態と、そこから見て取れる状況。mono goto ya hito no a ru ji ten de no jō tai to so ko ka ra mi te to re ru jō kyō

Word origin

有様 (arisama) combines the continuative form 有り (ari, "to exist") with 様 (sama, "manner" or "form"), describing how something exists or appears.

Usage tips

  • 有様 (arisama) can describe both a social condition and the scene before an observer, so its English rendering depends on what is being observed.

Other meanings

  • circumstancesnoun
  • sightnoun

Word lists with this word