ては

Japanese

Alternative forms

Etymology

Compound of particle て (te, conjunctive particle) and は (wa, topic particle).

Conjunction

ては • (teha) 

  1. undesirable assumption: if
    Synonym: たら (tara)
    • c. 1001–1014, Murasaki Shikibu, Genji Monogatari (Aoi)
      朝(あさ)夕(ゆふ)の光(ひかり)失(うしな)ひては、いかでか世(よ)にながらふべからむ
      Asa yū no hikari ushinaite wa, ika de ka yo ni nagarau bekaramu
      If I lost the light of morning and evening, how can I live anymore?
    怪(け)我(が)人(にん)が出(で)ては折(せっ)角(かく)の祭(まつ)りも台(だい)無(な)しだ。
    Keganin ga dete wa sekkaku no matsuri mo dainashi da.
    If people get injured, our long-awaited festival will become ruined.
    そのキノコを食(た)べてはいけない。
    Sono kinoko o tabete wa ikenai.
    Don't eat that mushroom.
  2. indicates a reason for causing strong emotions such as refutation and impression
    Synonyms: たら (tara), たなら (ta nara)
    • c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 15, poem 3591)
      妹(いも)等安里之(とありし) 時(とき)者安礼杼毛(はあれども) 和可礼(わかれ)弖波(ては) 許呂母弖佐牟伎(ころもでさむき) 母能尓曽安里家流(ものにぞありける) [Man'yōgana]
      妹(いも)とありし 時(とき)はあれども 別(わか)れては 衣(ころも)手(で)寒(さむ)き ものにぞありける [Modern spelling]
      <imo to2 arisi to2ki1 pa are do2mo wakarete pa ko2ro2mode samuki1 mono2 nizo1 arike1ru>
      → imo to arishi toki wa are domo wakarete wa koromode samuki mono nizo arikeru
      Though I had been along with my love, since separated from her, alas my sleeves were cold.
    そこまで悪(わる)口(くち)を言(い)われてはこちらとしても怒(いか)り心頭(しんとう)だ。
    Soko made warukuchi o iwarete wa kochira toshite mo ikarishintō da.
    Since you said me so badly, as for me too, you deserve my rage.
  3. presupposition by the things already done: since
    Synonym: たら (tara)
    • いでや、この世(よ)に生(う)まれては、願(ねが)はしかるべきことこそ多(おほ)かめれ。
      Ideya, kono yo ni umarete wa, negawashikaru beki koto koso ōka mere.
      Now, since being born in the present world, there would be many desires to have.
    これほどまでに非(ひ)常(じょう)識(しき)な男(おとこ)が上(じょう)司(し)をしていては、部(ぶ)下(か)の方(ほう)も相(そう)当(とう)なアホに違(ちが)いない。
    Korehodo made ni hijōshiki na otoko ga jōshi o shiteite wa, buka no hō mo sōtō na aho ni chigainai.
    Since such a insane man is being a boss, also his subordinates must be considerable simpletons.
  4. two actions or effects repeated in pairs: whenever, and
    • late 9th century, Ise Monogatari
      起(お)きもせず 寝(ね)もせで夜(よる)を 明(あ)かしては 春(はる)のものとて ながめ暮(く)らしつ
      Oki mo sezu ne mo se de yoru o akashite wa haru no mono tote nagame kurashi tsu
      Spent the nights without being awake nor sleeping, spent the days with looking at those [long rains] as the things of the spring.
    • 私(わたし)は幼(おさな)い時(とき)よくそれを口(くち)に入(い)れては父(ふ)母(ぼ)に叱(しか)られたものだが、 […]
      watashi wa osanai toki yoku sore o kuchi ni irete wa fubo ni shikarareta mono da ga, […]
      I was often scolded by my parents whenever I put it in my mouth, but […]
    寄(よ)せては返(かえ)す波(なみ)の音(おと)
    yosete wa kaesu nami no oto
    sound of the waves to break on the shore and retreat
  5. proposal, euphemical imperative: what about, why not
    Synonyms: たら (tara), ば (ba)
    その仕(し)事(ごと)、辞(や)めてはどうか。
    Sono shigoto, yamete wa dōka.
    How about quit your job?
  6. used at an action not to be confident or can not expect a good result
    • c. 960 CE – 965 CE, Taira no Sadafumi, Heichū Monogatari
      え気(け)色(しき)ばみては言(い)はで
      E keshikibamite wa iwade
      He couldn't say with displaying his affection clearly, and—
    来(き)てはいましたが会(あ)いませんでした。
    Kite wa imashita ga aimasen deshita.
    I had come there, but did not meet them.

Usage notes

Attaches to verbs and adjectives in the same way as て (-te).

Derived terms

Proverbs

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.