あぜ

See also: あせ

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
畔 畦 畷 (uncommon, nonstandard) 阡 (very rare, nonstandard) 疇 (very rare, nonstandard)

First attested in the Wamyō Ruijushō (934).

The word is almost certainly a compound of 畔 (a), perhaps with the ze derived from se as an instance of rendaku (連濁). However, the potential second element has not been clearly identified.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あぜ [àzéꜜ] (Odaka – [2])
• (Tokyo) あぜ [áꜜzè] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [a̠ze̞]

• (Kyoto) あ​ぜ [ázè] (Kōki)

Noun

あぜ • (aze) 

1. [from 934] 畔, 畦: an embankment or ridge between rice paddies used for storing water and separation

   Synonym: くろ (kuro)

2. [unknown] 畔, 畦: a division in between a threshold or a lintel

Etymology 2

From Eastern Old Japanese あぜ (aze), attested in the 東歌 (azuma uta, “Eastern songs”) of the Man'yōshū (759).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あぜ [áꜜzè] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [a̠ze̞]

Pronoun

あぜ • (aze) 

1. [from 759] (archaic) why

   Synonyms: どうして (dōshite), なぜ (naze)

   • 1775, Butsurui Shōko; text here

     なぜと云事を薩摩にて・なじかいと云古き哥に　〽大和かい西はあじかを関東べい都こざんすいせをりやります　西土にてあじかをと云もなじかいといふにひとし総州及東奥にて・あぜといふ　江戸にて・なぜといふ京にて・なせにと清｛すみ｝ていふ案になぜとは胡｛なんぞ｝也とがめ　たる言葉也『万葉』にあぜそもこよひよしろきまさぬなと詠り古き詞なり

     The dialectal forms of Japanese naze "why" in the dialects: in Satsuma, it is called najikai; an archaic song says "Yamato kai nishi wa ajika wo Kantō bei miyako zansuise[?] wori yarimasu"; in Saido it is called ajika, for which they're equivalent; in Sōshū and Tōoku, it is called aze; in Edo, it is called naze; in the capital, it's clearly called nase; as a note, naze is questioned for nanzo. Worth noting is the word exists in the Man'yōshū, reciting "aze somo koyofi yoshiro kimasanu".

2. [from 1779–1780] (possibly obsolete) no way; expresses surprise and doubt

Etymology 3

Alternative spelling
綜

First attested in the Myōgoki (1275); of uncertain origin; but one theory suggests cognancy with 畔・畦 (aze).

Noun

あぜ • (aze) 

1. [from 1275] (obsolete or Shimane) a tool for producing thread warp

Etymology 4

Alternative spelling
校

First attested in the Utsubo Monogatari (970–999).

Possibly cognate with the aza- in 貯ふ (azafu, “to stack various objects”, obsolete).

Noun

あぜ • (aze) 

1. [from 970–999] (hapax, obsolete) the act of stacking long timbers with triangular ends crossing horizontally and vertically
   1. [from 970–999] (hapax, obsolete, by extension) a storehouse made from such material

Etymology 5

First cited to a text from 1892; of unknown origin.

Noun

あぜ • (aze) 

1. [from 1892] (slang, criminal) fool; idiot; buffoon