はて

Japanese

Etymology 1

For pronunciation and definitions of はて – see the following entries.
【果て】
[noun] the end, the limit
【涯】S
[noun] the end of the land: the shore
[noun] the end of the visible world: the horizon
(This term, はて (hate), is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.)
For a list of all kanji read as はて, see Category:Japanese kanji read as はて.)

Etymology 2

Attested from the Edo Period (1603-1868).

Pronunciation

Interjection

はて • (hate) 

  1. dear me, wait a minute, well (at the start of a sentence), let me see
    • 1942, Sasano Ken, editor, Nō kyōgen: Ōkura Torahiro-bon [Kyogen works of Okura Torahiro], page 160:
      ハテ、今(いま)から縄(なわ)をなふて間(あいだ)に合(あ)ふ物(もの)か。
      Hate, ima kara nawa o nafute aida ni afu mono ka.
      Well, will it be possible to get rope now?
Usage notes

This interjection indicates doubt or surprise at something strange, and that the speaker is taking a moment to think about it.

Alternative forms

References

  1. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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