なりけり

Japanese

Etymology 1

From Old Japanese.

Derived from なり (nari, “to be”, archaic) +‎ けり (-keri, auxiliary verb indicating a past event).^[1]^[2]

Phrase

なりけり • (narikeri)

(literary) auxiliary verb indicating one's personal recollection about something heard before: it was, it is said
- 905–914, Kokin Wakashū (book 1, poem 37)
  よそにのみあはれとぞみし梅(うめ)の花(はな)あかぬ色(いろ)かは折(を)りてなりけり
  yoso ni nomi aware to zo mishi ume no hana akanu iroka wa orite narikeri
  Blossoms of the plum admired only from afar: I plucked you―and now I know the fascination of your color and fragrance.^[3]
- c. 1001–1014, Murasaki Shikibu, Genji Monogatari (Kiritsubo)
  もとの木(こ)立(たち)、山(やま)のたたずまひ、おもしろき所(ところ)なりけるを
  Moto no kodachi, yama no tatazumai, omoshiroki tokoro narikeru o...
  (please add an English translation of this example)

Conjugation

Classical conjugation of "なりけり" (irregular)

Stem forms
Irrealis (未然形)	なりけら		narikera
Continuative (連用形)			-
Terminal (終止形)	なりけり		narikeri
Attributive (連体形)	なりける		narikeru
Realis (已然形)	なりけれ		narikere
Imperative (命令形)			-
Key constructions
Negative	ならざりけり^[1]		narazarikeri
Contrasting conjunction	なりけれど		narikeredo
Causal conjunction	なりければ		narikereba
Conditional conjunction	なりけらば		narikeraba
^[1]Irregular.

Derived terms

命(いのち)なりけり (inochi narikeri)

Proverbs

成(な)らぬは人(ひと)の為(な)さぬなりけり (naranu wa hito no nasanu narikeri)

Etymology 2

Phrase

なりけり • (narikeri)

(archaic) as it is, in its own way
Synonyms: そのまま (sonomama), それなり (sorenari)

See also

これなりけり (korenarikeri)
それなりけり (sorenarikeri)

References

^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (1995), 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ Helen Craig McCullough (1985) Kokin Wakashū: The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry : with Tosa Nikki and Shinsen Waka, illustrated, reprint edition, Stanford University Press, →ISBN, page 21

Old Japanese

Etymology

Derived from なり (nari, “to be”) +‎ けり (-ke₁ri, auxiliary verb indicating a past event).

Phrase

なりけり (narike₁ri)

auxiliary verb indicating one's personal recollection about something heard before: it was, it is said
- c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 18, poem 4078:
  故敷等伊布波衣毛名豆氣多理伊布須敞能多豆伎母奈吉波安賀未奈里家利
  “ko₁pu” to₂ ipu pa e monaduke₂tari ipu sube₁ no₂ taduki₁ mo naki₁ pa aga mi₂ narike₁ri
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

Japanese: なりけり (narikeri)