穏やか

• Reading: おだやか
• Romaji: odayaka
• Kanji breakdown: 穏 (on/oda) — calm, quiet, peaceful
• Pronunciation: /o.da.ja.ka/

Meaning

Calm; gentle; mild. Describes a peaceful, undisturbed state of weather, personality, or atmosphere.

A na-adjective used to describe tranquil weather (穏やかな天気), a gentle personality (穏やかな人), or a peaceful atmosphere. Takes な before nouns and に as an adverb. Conveys a positive sense of peacefulness without passivity.

Examples

1. 今日は風もなく穏やかな一日だった。 Today was a calm day with no wind.
2. 彼女はいつも穏やかな笑顔で迎えてくれる。 She always greets people with a gentle smile.
3. 海が穏やかなので泳ぎに行こう。 The sea is calm, so let's go for a swim.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, personality, atmosphere

Tone: peaceful

Origin & History

From classical adjective 穏やかなり. The kanji 穏 combines 禾 (grain) and components suggesting harvest stored safely — a state of settled security and calm.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal