幸さいわい

さ

い

わ

い

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

Refers to a fortunate state or a piece of good luck. Often used in set phrases like 幸いなことに (fortunately) or 幸いです (I'm glad/happy).

ご無ぶ事じで何なによりの幸さいわいです。

I'm most relieved that you're safe.

幸さいわいなことに、大おおきな事じ故こにはならなかった。

Fortunately, it didn't turn into a major accident.

2

Adverbial use, often at the beginning of a sentence or clause. Synonymous with 幸運にも.

〈動どう詞し〉ていただければ幸さいわいですit would be much appreciated if you could ~
ご返へん信しんいただければ幸さいわいです。
I would appreciate it if you could reply.
幸さいわい、〈事こと〉luckily, ~ happened
幸さいわい、電でん車しゃに間まに合あった。
Luckily, I made it to the train on time.

幸こう運うんN3sense 1
幸運 emphasizes lucky chance or a fortunate turn of events, while 幸い can also describe a general state of happiness or blessing.
運うん良よくN1sense 2
運良く and 幸い both mean 'luckily' as sentence adverbs, but 運良く more explicitly frames the outcome as a matter of chance.
幸こう福ふくN3sense 1
幸福 is a more formal, abstract word for happiness or well-being, whereas 幸い is everyday and often tied to a specific fortunate circumstance.
幸しあわせN4sense 1
幸せ is the common, warm word for personal happiness, while 幸い leans toward describing good fortune or a lucky circumstance.

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幸さいわいにもN1
幸い is the plain adverbial/noun form meaning 'fortunately', while 幸いにも adds にも for a slightly more formal, emphatic tone in written Japanese.
おかげさまでN4
幸い means 'fortunately' or 'luckily' on its own, whereas おかげさまで adds a polite sense of gratitude toward someone's help even when unstated.

不ふ幸こうN3sense 1
不幸 means unhappiness or misfortune, the direct opposite of 幸い's sense of happiness or blessing.
不ふ運うんN2sense 2
不運 means 'unluckily', the opposite of 幸い used adverbially to mean 'luckily'.
災わざわいN1
幸い means good fortune or happiness, the direct opposite of 災い's misfortune or calamity.

The kanji 幸 means 'happiness' or 'fortune'. The reading さいわい is a native Japanese word (yamato-kotoba) whose historical derivation is uncertain.