くらい

From Old Japanese.^[1] Found in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE.

Related to くろ (kuro, “black”); see there for more.

• (Tokyo) くらい [kùráí] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ɾa̠i]

くらい • (kurai) -i (adverbial くらく (kuraku))

1. dark, dim

   暗(くら)い部屋(へや) ― kurai heya ― a dark room

2. gloomy, depressed

   暗(くら)い性格(せいかく) ― kurai seikaku ― a gloomy personality

• 明(あか)るい (akarui)

/kurawi/ → /kurai/

Originally a compound of 座 (kura, “seat, where something is placed”) +‎ 居 (wi, “being, existing in a place”), literally referring to "where one is", and by extension, "status, rank, position; degree".^[1][2] Appears from at least as early as The Tale of Genji (prior to 1021 CE).

• (Tokyo) くらい [kùráí] (Heiban – [0])^[2][3]
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ɾa̠i]

くらい • (kurai) ^{←くらゐ (kurawi)?}

1. about, approximately

   新(しん)宿(じゅく)はどれくらい遠(とお)いですか。

   Shinjuku wa dore kurai tōi desu ka.

   How far is Shinjuku?

   十(じゅっ)分(ぷん)ぐらい掛(か)かる。

   Juppun gurai kakaru.

   It takes about ten minutes.

2. at least, if anything

   今(こん)回(かい)くらいは頑(がん)張(ば)ろうかな。

   Konkai kurai wa ganbarō kana.

   Maybe I should put in the effort at least once (this time).

   これくらいは大(だい)丈(じょう)夫(ぶ)だろう。

   Kore kurai wa daijōbu darō.

   I imagine that you won't have difficulties with this much.

   いるだろ、好(す)きな人(ひと)くらい。

   Iru daro, suki na hito kurai.

   There must be someone you like

• ぐらい (gurai)

• ほど (hodo)

くらい • (kurai) ^{←くらゐ (kurawi)?}

1. grade, rank, standing

   位(くらい)が上(あ)がる、位(くらい)が下(くだ)す。

   Kurai ga agaru, kurai ga kudasu.

   To rise in rank, to lower in rank.

   位(くらい)の高(たか)い人(ひと) ― kurai no takai hito ― high-ranking person

2. the throne, the crown

   位(くらい)を譲(ゆず)る ― kurai o yuzuru ― to abdicate the throne

   位(くらい)につく ― kurai ni tsuku ― to assume the throne

3. (mathematics) place, position
4. being at the point of, the place where, the point where, the time when,
   • 1999, Pokémon Gold and Silver:

     諦(あきら)めるくらいなら最(さい)初(しょ)から夢(ゆめ)見(み)ないよな。

     Akirameru kurai nara saisho kara yume minai yona.

     If you're giving up,you weren't all that brave in the first place.

     (literally, “If you're at the point of giving up, you weren't ambitious in the first place.”)

• 位(くらい)する (kurai suru)
• 位(くらい)倒(だお)れ (kuraidaore)
• 位(くらい)付(づ)け (kuraizuke)
• 位(くらい)取(ど)る (kuraidoru)
• 位(くらい)負(まけ) (kuraimake)

くらい • (-kurai) ^{←くらゐ (-kurawi)?}

1. seat, position, rank, grade

The 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 食(く)らう (kurau, “to eat”, informal).^[1][2]

• (Tokyo) くらい [kùráí] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ɾa̠i]

くらい • (kurai) ^{←くらひ (kurafi)?}

1. (usually in compounds) eating

くらい • (kurai) ^{←くらひ (kurafi)?}

1. stem or continuative form of くらう (kurau) [godan]