Bungo Nyūmon

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL JAPANESE

Adjectives 

 Shiku-type adjectives

Adjectives classified as “shiku-type” in Classical Japanese correspond to Modern Japanese–shii adjectives. That is, the Modern Japanese adjective “utsukushii” (“beautiful”) in the Classical form is “utsukushiku.”

The sample adjective in the paradigm below is “tanoshi” (pleasant, fun, enjoyable).

Ku-type adjectives

Adjectives classified as “ku-type” in CJ correspond to MJ –i adjectives. That is, the MJ verb “takai” (tall, high) in its CJ form is “takashi”; the Modern “atsui” (hot) is the CJ atsushi; the MJ “wakai” (young) is the CJ “wakashi”; etc.

The sample adjective in the paradigm below is “atsushi” (hot).

Keiyō-dōshi (Na-type adjectives)

There is an aditional adjective form, corresponding to the Modern Japanese “na-type adjective” (e.g., shizuka [quiet], which forms the apposative with the addition of "na", as in “shizuka na hito”= “a quiet person”). In fact, this form is a nominal with the addition of the copulative nari (“ni ari”) and there are very many adjectives in this category.

They may also appear under “–tari” instead of “–nari” (declining identically, with only a substitution of T for N), with the implication that “–tari” is a temporary state and “-nari” is the default. (See the section on copulas for more details.)

The sample adjective in the paradigm below is “atenari” (= exalted).

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