参る

⟨mawi iru⟩ → /mawiru/ → /mairu/

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Nihon Shoki of 720.[1]

Originally a compound of 參 (mawi → mai, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of Old Japanese verb 參る (mawiru → mairu), “to go, particularly to the place or person of a social superior”, humble) +‎ 入る (iru, “to enter”).[1][2][3] Old Japanese did not allow vowel clusters, resulting in the shortening of mawi iru to mawiru.

The transitive senses are obsolete in modern Japanese.

• (Tokyo) ま​いる [máꜜìrù] (Atamadaka – [1])[3][4][5]
• IPA^(key): [ma̠iɾɯ̟ᵝ]

参(まい)る • (mairu) ^{←まゐる (mawiru)?}transitive or intransitive godan (stem 参(まい)り (mairi), past 参(まい)った (maitta))

1. [from 720] (intransitive, humble) to go

   このエレベーターは上(うえ)へ参(まい)ります。

   Kono erebētā wa ue e mairimasu.

   This lift is going up.

   では、参(まい)ります。

   Deha, mairimasu.

   Let us start.

2. [from early 1000s] (intransitive, humble) to come

   電(でん)車(しゃ)がまいります。 ― densha ga mairimasu. ― The train is arriving.

3. [from late 900s] (intransitive) to visit (typically a place of social or spiritual importance, such as a noble's house or a shrine)

   墓(はか)に参(まい)る ― haka ni mairu ― to visit a grave

   神(じん)社(じゃ)に参(まい)る ― jinja ni mairu ― to visit a shrine

4. to be overcome, to cede to a superior person or superior circumstances (by extension from the older "go to a superior" sense)
   1. [from late 1500s] (intransitive) to lose to an opponent

      参(まい)ったな。 ― maitta na. ― You got me.

   2. [from early 1900s] (intransitive) to be bothered, overwhelmed, done in by circumstances

      暑(あつ)さに参(まい)る

      atsusa ni mairu

      to be done in by the heat

   3. [from early 1900s] (intransitive) to die
   4. [from early 1900s] (intransitive) to fall for someone romantically
5. (transitive, humble, archaic) to go to (Can we verify^{(is "to go to" transitive? What is this definition supposed to mean?%7c%E5%8F%82%E3%82%8B%5D%5D +)} this sense?)
6. [late 900s—???] (transitive, humble, archaic) to serve someone in some capacity, to do something for someone
7. [1478—???] (transitive, humble, archaic) a 脇付 (wakizuke, “respectful title written after an addressee's name”) on the side of a formal letter

• 参(まい)らす (mairasu)

• (be bothered by circumstances): やられる (yarareru)