English word origin

Etymology of sai

From Japanese 釵 (sai).

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

A handheld weapon with three prongs, used in some Oriental martial arts.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Japanese 釵 (sai).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mention釵ja

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ja",
        "3": "釵",
        "tr": "sai"
      },
      "expansion": "Japanese 釵 (sai)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "釵",
      "釵#Japanese"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A handheld weapon with three prongs, used in some Oriental martial arts."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "268ea749698c29a47385ffc923fbf9fccaba658928490c40686c77a159c1490f",
      "rawRecordSha256": "29237cbc5304644712b1fcb7ca1f021e5e0e2061f352fefb03569592d221747f",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 180712
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A sajou; a capuchin (monkey).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Compare Portuguese sahi, from Tupian sai (“monkey”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Cognate mentionsahipt

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "pt",
        "2": "sahi"
      },
      "expansion": "Portuguese sahi"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tup"
      },
      "expansion": "Tupian"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "sahi",
      "sahi#Portuguese"
    ],
    [
      "sai",
      "sai"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A sajou; a capuchin (monkey)."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "be8f9a68e6497e3b41e1cd5d3b5a6389dc94434831413d56ddb163266b7e6cdd",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b5e986c6efec1d0a0617b03a6d6839cfd5beb3989135ff2e2c1f21b387530f83",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 180713
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
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    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

Shit

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Hokkien 屎 (sái, “shit”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mention屎nan-hbl · shit

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "nan-hbl",
        "3": "屎",
        "tr": "sái",
        "t": "shit"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Hokkien 屎 (sái, “shit”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "屎",
      "屎#Hokkien"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Shit"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Malaysia",
        "Singapore",
        "colloquial",
        "uncountable",
        "vulgar"
      ],
      "recordId": "65e18cd67ee9c477d6b341393acc77fda1d491aa8d4057ed605b4188c558c50c",
      "rawRecordSha256": "f29bf4783ab28f9979e430cdc91f753fbb33e6cbf75ca60871f935d6c29326e4",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 180714
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
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    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for sai →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-c2Fp