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How to say 'Since' in Japanese | 以来

Wondering how to say 'Since' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Since is 'Irai', written as 以来 in Japanese.'Since' in hiragana is いらい.

    word

    以来

    Meaning

    Since

    Reading

    いらい

    irai

    Kanji

    By means of Come

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '以来 (いらい)' means 'since' and is used to indicate a period of time starting from a specific point in the past up to the present. It is often used to describe events, situations, or conditions that have continued from a past moment until now. For example: I haven't seen him since last year「去年以来彼に会っていない」(きょねんいらいかれにあっていない). Since moving to Tokyo, I've been very busy「東京に引っ越して以来、とても忙しい」(とうきょうにひっこしていらい、とてもいそがしい). The word is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts and can be paired with various time expressions to specify the starting point.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N4

    Kanji Grade

    4

    Frequency

    1106

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 以来

This word contains 2 kanji characters:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    By means of

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Come

Words Related to 以来 Through the Kanji

These 7 Words contain the Kanji 以 as well.

  • word

    以上

    Meaning

    More than, No more

  • word

    以外

    Meaning

    Except

  • word

    以前

    Meaning

    Before, Previously

  • word

    以下

    Meaning

    Below, Less

  • word

    以降

    Meaning

    After

  • word

    以後

    Meaning

    After, Hereafter

  • word

    以内

    Meaning

    Within

Words Related to 以来 Through the Kanji

These 27 Words contain the Kanji 来 as well.

  • word

    来る

    Meaning

    Come

  • word

    出来る

    Meaning

    Can, Be made

  • word

    来月

    Meaning

    Next month

  • word

    来週

    Meaning

    Next week

  • word

    持って来る

    Meaning

    Bring

  • word

    将来

    Meaning

    Future

  • word

    連れて来る

    Meaning

    Bring

  • word

    従来

    Meaning

    Tradition

  • word

    再来年

    Meaning

    Year after next

  • word

    再来月

    Meaning

    Month after next

  • word

    再来週

    Meaning

    Week after next

  • word

    未来

    Meaning

    Future

  • word

    行き来

    Meaning

    Coming and going

  • word

    元来

    Meaning

    Originally

  • word

    出来事

    Meaning

    Event

  • word

    外来語

    Meaning

    Loanword

  • word

    出来上がる

    Meaning

    Complete

  • word

    由来

    Meaning

    Origin

  • word

    やって来る

    Meaning

    Come

  • word

    来日

    Meaning

    Arrival

  • word

    出来上がり

    Meaning

    Completion

  • word

    出来るだけ

    Meaning

    As much as possible

  • word

    本来

    Meaning

    Originally

  • word

    来年

    Meaning

    Next year

  • word

    Meaning

    Next

  • word

    如来

    Meaning

    Buddha

  • word

    外来

    Meaning

    Foreign

Learn the Word 以来

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What does 'Irai' (以来) mean?

'Irai' means 'Since' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.