28807
I'm unsure about the meaning of ようす in some dictionary definitions. Most of
the time I translate it in my mind to "State of being + adjective" but
sometimes it doesn't seem to fit, like in the definitions I have for these two
kanji:

> 峨 : 山の高くけわしい **ようす** 。
>
> 嵯 : 山が高くけわしい **ようす** 。

So, is it along the lines of "The fact, for a mountain, of being tall and
steep" or rather "Looking high and steep like a mountain"?
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2015-10-19T20:13:34.720
28783
2020-12-25T19:04:29.430
2020-12-25T19:04:29.430
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question
meaning
Meaning of ようす in definitions
「[様子]{ようす}」 surely means "state", "situation", "circumstances", etc., but
whether or not one of those English words should actually be used in the
English translation of a definition of a Japanese word (or a single kanji as
in this case) is a **_separate matter altogether_** IMHO.

Unlike in other languages including English, it is just customary in Japanese
culture to end a definition with a noun such as 「様子」、「こと」 and 「さま」. This
occurs in definitions for words of multiple parts of speech including nouns,
adjectives, adverbs etc. and sometimes even verbs.

In other words, **Japanese-speakers simply "expect" a word (or kanji)
definition to come in the noun phrase form** because that is how we
traditionally define words for one another both in spoken and written
Japanese. That is how it is done whether it is a mother explaining a word to a
toddler or a big dictionary or professor giving a word definiton to a Ph.D.
student.

So, the important question is: "Is the same thing as above practiced by
English-speakers?"

**_If yes (or a strict literal translation is required for some reason)_** ,
go ahead and give a definition in the noun phrase form starting with a word
like "state".

**_If no_** , forget 「ようす」 and form the definition the way it will sound most
natural to English-speakers, which I presume would be like:

"craggy and steep (as of a mountain)"

Finally, the translation " ** _looking_** high and steep ~~" sounds strange to
me. That is not really what 「ようす」 means in a word definition.
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2015-10-21T11:14:44.250
28807
2015-10-21T11:14:44.250
28783
answer