にわか

Japanese

Alternative spellings
俄 俄か

Etymology

*/nipaka/ → /niɸaka/ → /niwaka/

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Man'yōshū of 759 CE.

Appears to be composed of root niwa of uncertain derivation + adjective-forming suffix か (ka). Compare related ancient adverbial form 俄しく (niwashiku), comprising this same niwa element, suffixed instead with the しい (shii) adjective-forming suffix in the adverbial inflection.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) にわか [níꜜwàkà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟iβ̞a̠ka̠]

Adjective

にわか • (niwaka) ^{←にはか (nifaka)?}-na (adnominal にわかな (niwaka na), adverbial にわかに (niwaka ni))

1. [from 790s] sudden, abrupt, unexpected, improvised, offhand

   にわかには信(しん)じがたい

   niwaka ni wa shinjigatai

   difficult to immediately believe

2. [from 759] suddenly serious (said of an illness; most often in the construction にわかになる (niwaka ni naru))
3. [from early 1200s] temporary, makeshift, impermanent, ad hoc

Inflection

Inflection of にわか

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	にわかだろ	niwaka daro
Continuative (連用形)	にわかで	niwaka de
Terminal (終止形)	にわかだ	niwaka da
Attributive (連体形)	にわかな	niwaka na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	にわかなら	niwaka nara
Imperative (命令形)	にわかであれ	niwaka de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	にわかではない にわかじゃない	niwaka de wa nai niwaka ja nai
Informal past	にわかだった	niwaka datta
Informal negative past	にわかではなかった にわかじゃなかった	niwaka de wa nakatta niwaka ja nakatta
Formal	にわかです	niwaka desu
Formal negative	にわかではありません にわかじゃありません	niwaka de wa arimasen niwaka ja arimasen
Formal past	にわかでした	niwaka deshita
Formal negative past	にわかではありませんでした にわかじゃありませんでした	niwaka de wa arimasen deshita niwaka ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	にわかで	niwaka de
Conditional	にわかなら（ば）	niwaka nara (ba)
Provisional	にわかだったら	niwaka dattara
Volitional	にわかだろう	niwaka darō
Adverbial	にわかに	niwaka ni
Degree	にわかさ	niwakasa

• Although this is listed in Japanese dictionaries as a 形容動詞 (keiyō dōshi, “-na adjective”), use with the expected な (na) adnominal particle appears to be uncommon. When used attributively, this is much more commonly found with the genitive and possessive particle の (no), treating the term more as a noun.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 俄雨(にわかあめ) (niwaka ame): a sudden downpour, a rain shower
• 俄踊(にわかおど)り (niwaka odori): a comedic dance at a banquet; a comedic dance performed as part of a 俄狂言 (niwaka kyōgen, “an impromptu comic interlude during a Noh play”)
• 俄狂言(にわかきょうげん) (niwaka kyōgen): a farce; an impromptu comic interlude during a Noh play
• 俄拵(にわかごしら)え (niwakagoshirae): hasty or makeshift construction; something put together in such a fashion
• 俄事(にわかごと) (niwakagoto): a sudden event, occurrence, or circumstance
• 俄師(にわかし) (niwakashi): a professional performer of 俄狂言 (niwaka kyōgen, “an impromptu comic interlude during a Noh play”)
• 俄仕込(にわかじこ)み (niwakajikomi): rapid production to meet a need; cramming to learn something in time, particularly for a performance
• 俄仕立(にわかじた)て (niwakajitate): hasty or makeshift construction; something put together in such a fashion
• 俄芝居(にわかしばい) (niwaka shibai): a 俄狂言 (niwaka kyōgen, “a farce”)
• 俄大尽(にわかだいじん) (niwaka daijin): sudden wealth; someone who has become suddenly wealthy
• 俄長者(にわかちょうじゃ) (niwaka chōja): someone who has become suddenly wealthy
• 俄作(にわかづく)り (niwaka zukuri): hasty or makeshift construction; something put together in such a fashion
• 俄道心(にわかどうしん) (niwaka dōshin): a sudden religious motivation and departure from one's home; a person who experiences and does such a thing
• 俄成(にわかな)り金(きん) (niwaka narikin): sudden wealth; someone who has become suddenly wealthy
• 俄日和(にわかびより) (niwaka biyori): a sudden clearing of the sky after a rain
• 俄分限(にわかぶげん) (niwaka bugen): sudden wealth; someone who has become suddenly wealthy
• 俄普請(にわかぶしん) (niwaka bushin): hasty or makeshift construction of a foundation; such a foundation
• 俄分限(にわかぶんげん) (niwaka bungen): sudden wealth; someone who has become suddenly wealthy
• 俄坊主(にわかぼうず) (niwaka bōzu): someone who has a sudden religious motivation and becomes a monk, nun, or other devotee
• 俄雪(にわかゆき) (niwaka yuki): a sudden snowfall, a sudden flurry

Related terms

• 俄(にわ)しく (niwashiku): suddenly (archaic, possibly obsolete)

Noun

にわか • (niwaka) ^{←にはか (nifaka)?}

1. Short for 俄狂言 (niwaka kyōgen, “a farce; an impromptu comic interlude during a Noh play”).
2. (by extension) any impromptu joke, witticism, or pun
3. Short for 俄ファン (niwaka fan, “(Internet slang) bandwagon fan”).
   • 2019 January 27, ねことうふ, “第24話 まひろと共通の話題”, in お兄ちゃんはおしまい！‎^[1]:

     「語(かた)れるヤツが居(い)てよかったよー　あ　シリーズだとどれが好(す)き？　やっぱVI(シックス)だよね〰」
     「え…シックス？　ごめん　やってない…」
     「何(なに)ぃ？ニワカめ〰〰」
     「だって生(う)まれる前(まえ)のやつだしなぁ…」

     “Katareru yatsu ga ite yokatta yō a shirīzu da to dore ga suki? Yappa shikkusu da yo ne~”
     “E…shikkusu? Gomen yattenai…”
     “Nanī? Niwaka-me~~”
     “Datte umareru mae no yatsu da shi nā…”

     "I'm just glad that there's someone I can talk to about it now / Oh, of the series, which one do you like? VI, right? Of course it's VI."
     "Um… six? Sorry; I haven't played that one."
     "Whaat? Ya casual~~"
     "Well, it is from before I was born, after all…"

See also

• 駄(だ)洒(じゃ)落(れ) (dajare): a pun, a groaner
• 地(じ)口(ぐち) (jiguchi): a pun

References

• 2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.