荒ぶ

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
荒
すさ Grade: S
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 荒ぶ – see the following entry.

【すさぶ】 [verb] to be barren [verb] of weather, to be forceful / severe

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

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
荒
あら Grade: S
kun'yomi

From the stem of adjective 荒らし (arashi, “rough, wild”) +‎ ぶ (-bu, “to act like, to be (of a manner)”, precursor to modern suffix びる (-biru)).

Verb

荒(あら)ぶ • (arabu) ^†nidan

1. (archaic) to be wild, to become wild, to be harsh or excessively strong

   Synonym: 荒む (susamu)

   • 927 延喜式 (Engishiki, “Procedures of the Engi Era”):

     四(よ)方(も)四(よ)角(すみ)より疎(うと)び荒(あら)備(び)来(こ)む天(てん)のまがつひといふ神(かみ)の言(こと)はむ悪(まが)事(こと)に

     Yomo yosumi yori utobi arabi komu ten no maga tsu hito ifu kami no koto wa mu magakoto ni

     All the gods from every corner of heaven come to say evil things

2. (archaic) to be neglected, to fall into ruin, to be uncivilized
   • 720 日本書紀 (Nihon Shoki, “Chronicles of Japan”):

     夫(そ)れ葦(あし)原(はらの)中(なかつ)国(くに)は本(もと)より荒(あら)芒(び)たり。

     Sore Ashihara no Nakatsukuni wa moto yori arabi tari.

     Ashihara no Nakatsukuni [Japan] is becoming less civilized.

3. (archaic, of poetry) to lack ornamentation, to be simple, be plain
   • 1694, Matsuo Bashō, Rōka ate kyorai chokan [Recurring thoughts on leaving]:

     俳(はい)諧(かい)あらび可(か)申(もうし)候(そうら)事(こと)は、言(こと)葉(ば)あらく、道(どう)具(ぐ)下(げ)品(ひん)の物(もの)取(とり)出(だ)し申(もうし)候(そうら)事(こと)にては無(ない)

     Haikai arabi-ka mōshisōra koto wa, kotoba araku, dōgu gehin no mono toridashi mōshisōra koto nite wa nai

     Haikai is not merely simple construction, rude words, something drawn up with coarse tools

Conjugation

Classical conjugation of "荒ぶ" (バ行上二段活用, see Appendix:Japanese verbs.)

Stem forms
Irrealis (未然形)	荒び	あらび	arabi
Continuative (連用形)	荒び	あらび	arabi
Terminal (終止形)	荒ぶ	あらぶ	arabu
Attributive (連体形)	荒ぶる	あらぶる	araburu
Realis (已然形)	荒ぶれ	あらぶれ	arabure
Imperative (命令形)	荒びよ	あらびよ	arabiyo
Key constructions
Negative	荒びず	あらびず	arabizu
Contrasting conjunction	荒ぶれど	あらぶれど	araburedo
Causal conjunction	荒ぶれば	あらぶれば	arabureba
Conditional conjunction	荒びば	あらびば	arabiba
Past tense (firsthand knowledge)	荒びき	あらびき	arabiki
Past tense (secondhand knowledge)	荒びけり	あらびけり	arabikeri
Perfect tense (conscious action)	荒びつ	あらびつ	arabitu
Perfect tense (natural event)	荒びぬ	あらびぬ	arabinu
Perfect-continuative tense	荒びたり	あらびたり	arabitari
Volitional	荒びむ	あらびむ	arabimu

Related terms

• 荒(あら)い (arai, “rough, harsh, intense”, adjective)
• 荒(あら)々(あら)しい (arārashii, “harsh, violent; rough”, adjective)
• 荒(あ)れる (areru, “to become disordered; to become rough; to grow wild”, intransitive)
• 荒(あ)らす (arasu, “to create disorder; to destroy”, transitive)
• びる (-biru, “to look like; to behave like”, suffix)