昔
mukashi
The English phrase "long time ago" is expressed in Japanese as 昔 (mukashi).
昔 is used to refer to a time in the distant past.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can modify 昔 to change its function in a sentence. Adding the particle は creates 昔は, which means "in the old days" or "in the past" and serves to contrast the past with the present. Adding the particle の creates 昔の, which turns the word into an adjective used to describe a noun, such as "old" or "of the past".
How do you pronounce it?
mukashi
When do people say it?
To begin a fairy tale or a folk tale, it is standard to repeat the word as 昔々, which is the equivalent of saying "Once upon a time" in English.
Did you know?
- The word 昔 is built from a verb meaning 'to face the opposite direction' and a suffix for direction. It literally describes the past as that which stands opposite to the present.
- In Japanese culture, 昔 is often used to evoke a sense of nostalgia or a romanticized version of history, rather than just a chronological measurement of time.
- While 昔 refers to the distant past, the word 前 is used for the recent past, such as 'a while ago'. Using 昔 for a few years ago can sound exaggerated or humorous.
Examples in context
- 昔ここに橋があった。A long time ago, there was a bridge here.This sentence uses 昔 to state that a bridge existed in a location in the past.Tatoeba #142439 by bunbuku, translation #418874 by CK
- ずいぶんと昔のことです。That was such a long time ago.This sentence uses 昔 to emphasize how much time has passed.Tatoeba #10800078 by small_snow, translation #10077686 by shekitten
- 昔の人は随分寿命が短かった。A long time ago, people had very short lifespans.This sentence uses 昔の to describe the lifespans of people in the past.Tatoeba #7562241 by Sonata, translation #7562281 by CK
- この寺は古来のもので、もうずっと前にできました。This temple is an ancient one, it was built a long time ago.
- あの映画、もうずっと前に見たよね？We watched that movie a long time ago, didn't we?
- うん、ずっと昔に見たんだ。Yeah, I watched it a long time ago.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about an old photo in a cafe.
- 蓮 Renこれは昔の写真だね。Kore wa mukashi no shashin da ne.This is a photo from a long time ago, isn't it?
- 結衣 Yui本当に、すごく昔だね。Hontou ni, sugoku mukashi da ne.It really is from a long time ago.
- 蓮 Ren結衣はこれ覚えてる？Yui wa kore oboeteru?Yui, do you remember this?
- 結衣 Yuiええ、懐かしい！Ee, natsukashii!Yes, how nostalgic!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 昔, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
