Would anyone be able to provide more context for 参る?
Wanikani says it’s to come and to go and is notto participate, even though we should think of it as to participate. I’m totally confused. Here’s Wani’s description:
The kanji itself means participate, so you’d think this word would mean “to participate” but it doesn’t (sorry!). It’s a little more complex. Think of it as “to participate” but where you have to come or to go in order to do it. This is the humble way to say those things, so you’re going to these places with your tail between your legs, just happy you can participate more than anything.
I’m gathering that it’s a humble way of saying you’re going to come or go to a place to participate, but what does speaking humbly really mean? When would I speak humbly? Does this just mean polite? Basically, when would I use it? Would I ever use it?
As far as I know, 参る has nothing to do with participation. I think this is just WK’s way of connecting the kanji with the meaning so you’ll remember it, but does make things confusing. Just think of it as the humble version of 来る/行く.
This is a question about keigo. Speaking “humbly” refers to kenjougo (謙譲語), or humble keigo. Basically, by using certain words to describe your own actions or the actions of someone in your company, you’re “lowering” yourself and therefore making yourself sound humble and polite. There are also honorific words, which you use to describe the actions of other people to “raise” them. I found an article if you’re interested. I haven’t read it myself, but it looks pretty comprehensive. If you want more information, just look up keigo and a lot of results will pop up.
There are a few keigo words that confusingly mean multiple things. Like いらっしゃる can mean “to be” or “to go” or “to come.” It’s honorific, though, not humble, so you use it for people whose status you are elevating with your word choice.
Also, 参る is heard quite often because people in service jobs have to speak humbly. When a train is announced as coming, they won’t say 来る, they’ll say 参る. Well, they’ll say 参ります.
Thank you! Both those responses clarify it a lot! The participate kanji was definitely throwing me off. And I think I have a better idea of when speech like this would be used.
I could be very wrong, but the way I learned it (pre using WK) I thought in my own mind that it does have a sense of participation.
For example, if there is a big trade-show/conference/etc, my understanding was that businesses, representatives, guest, etc. who come/are going would be using 参る; which has a ‘participation’ sense to it.
Its largely just as everyone said, a polite way to say come/go, but I think that was what WK was getting at; lets not forget how wacky WK descriptions are.
Maybe if it was noted that this is a word typically only used in a formal setting, their description about ‘participating’ would make more sense initially.
Also people say 参った when they fail at something or something bad happens! This has no relation to how the word is normally used because the etymology has to do with esoteric martial arts stuff or whatever (it’s used like a double tap afaik)
参る just means (humbly) come/go. 参 as a compact unit of kanji meaning is more associated with participation? (See 参加, 参じる, 参する, 参政.) 参る, however, is just come/go. WK is only trying to help you remember.
参る is also used a lot when refering to going or visiting temples and graveyards.
You can hear it a lot these weeks, since there’s 初詣 this days (the first visit to the shrine of the year), so lot of people make huge lines to ask for their’s wishes for this upcomming year
In this case speaking humbly make sense as is religion related talking and you are somewhat under god in the ranking …
There’s no participation connotation with the word まいる. It is just a humble word for go/come. You can say it when you are just walking across the room. “Participation” isn’t even the main meaning of that kanji. WK just chose to teach it that way because 参加 is a common word.
…
