さえ

Japanese

Etymology 1

From 添(そ)へ (sohe), 連用形(れんようけい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of classical verb 添(そ)ふ (sofu, modern equivalent 添(そ)える (soeru)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sa̠e̞]
• (Tokyo) さえ [sáꜜè] (Atamadaka – [1])

Particle

さえ • (sae) ^{←さへ (safe)?}

1. (emphatic) even

   犬(いぬ)さえ食(く)わない。 ― Inu sae kuwanai. ― Not even a dog would eat that.

   • 1987, 村上春樹 [Murakami Haruki], chapter 1, in ノルウェイの森 [Noruwei no Mori, Norwegian Wood]:

     そう、僕(ぼく)には直子(なおこ)の顔(かお)を今(いま)すぐ思(おも)いだすことさえできないのだ。

     Sō, boku ni wa Naoko no kao o ima sugu omoidasu koto sae dekinai no da.

     Indeed, I can't even immediately remember Naoko's face.

2. (in a conditional phrase in ば (-ba) or たら (-tara)) as long as

   アキちゃんさえいればなんでもできる。

   Aki-chan sae ireba nandemo dekiru.

   I can do anything as long as Aki-chan is there.

See also

• も (mo)
• すら (sura)

Etymology 2

Alternative spelling
紗江

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sa̠e̞]

Proper noun

さえ • (Sae) 

1. a female given name

   宮(みや)川(かわ)紗(さ)江(え)

   Miyakawa Sae

   (name of a gymnast)

Related terms

• さえこ (Saeko)

Etymology 3

Alternative spelling
冴え

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sa̠e̞]
• (Tokyo) さえ [sàéꜜ] (Odaka – [2])

Verb

さえ • (sae) 

1. imperfective and stem (or continuative) forms of さえる (saeru) [ichidan]