然らば

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
然
さ Grade: 4
kun'yomi

Originally the hypothetical -ba conjugation of classical Japanese verb 然り (sari), itself ultimately a compound of 然 (sa, “like so, in such a manner”) +‎ 有り (ari, “to be”, the classical form of modern 有る aru). Literally, “if that's the case; if it's like that; if that's the way it is”.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) さらば [sáꜜràbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [sa̠ɾa̠ba̠]

Usage notes

The word is most commonly written out only in hiragana as さらば.

Interjection

然(さ)らば or 然(サ)らば • (saraba) 

1. (archaic, now poetic) farewell; goodbye
   • 1996 February 20 [1988 February 15], Mitsuru Adachi, “交差点前 [In Front of the Intersection]”, in SHORT(ショート) PROGRAM(プログラム) [SHORT PROGRAM], 25th edition, volume 1 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 51:

     では一(いち)万(まん)千(せん)円(えん)確(たし)かに預(あずか)った…サラバじゃ！

     De wa ichimansen-en tashika ni azukatta… Saraba ja!

     I’ll keep the eleven thousand yen then… So long!

Synonyms

• さようなら (sayōnara)
• あばよ (abayo)
• バイバイ (baibai)
• では (de wa)
• じゃあ (jā)
• 失(しつ)礼(れい)します (shitsurei shimasu)
• それでは (sore de wa)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
然
しか Grade: 4
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 然らば – see the following entry.

【しからば】 [conjunction] in that case

(This term, 然らば, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)