Japanese word

有

Pronunciation

Romajiyū

Meaning

  • nounexistence

Example

有と無について考えます。yū to mu ni tsu i te kanga e ma su

I think about existence and nonexistence.

Illustration for 有 (existence)

More examples

この議論では、有を前提にしません。ko no gi ron de wa yū o zen tei ni shi ma se n

This discussion does not assume existence.

Core concept

It presents something as existing or being present rather than absent.

Common phrases

  • 有と無yū to mu

    existence and nonexistence

Similar words

存在sonzai: The fact that a person, thing, or idea is present in the world or in thought.
実在jitsuzai: The state of being real rather than imaginary.
現存genson: The state of continuing to exist at a given time.

Definition in Japanese

物事や状態がそこに存在すること。mono goto ya jō tai ga so ko ni son zai su ru ko to

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese noun 有 (yū, "existence") comes from the Chinese character 有, whose basic sense is "to have" or "to exist".

Usage tips

  • The noun 有 (yū) appears in formal discussions of what exists or is present, so it sounds more abstract than an everyday statement that something is there.

Other meanings

  • presencenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word