真ま

prefix

just; right; due (direction)

Prefix used with direction words to mean 'exactly' or 'directly', e.g. 真上 (まうえ) 'directly above', 真東 (まひがし) 'due east'.

See also: 真上 (まうえ)

• 真ま上うえから太たい陽ようが照てりつけている。

  The sun is beating down from directly above.

• この道みちを真まっすぐ行いくと、駅えきに出でます。

  If you go straight along this road, you'll come out at the station.

prefix

pure; genuine; true

Prefix that intensifies adjectives or nouns to mean 'completely' or 'truly', often with a geminate consonant, e.g. 真っ白 (まっしろ) 'pure white', 真っ暗 (まっくら) 'pitch dark'.

See also: 真っ白 (まっしろ)

• 外そとは真まっ暗くらで何なにも見みえない。

  It's pitch dark outside and I can't see anything.

• 彼かれの言いうことは真まっ赤かな嘘うそだ。

noun

truth

Noun meaning 'truth' or 'reality', often used in set phrases like 真に受ける (まにうける) 'to take seriously' or 真に迫る (まにせまる) 'to be realistic'. Not commonly used as a standalone noun in modern Japanese.

See also: 真に受ける

• 彼かれの冗じょう談だんを真まに受うけて怒おこってしまった。

  I took his joke seriously and got angry.

• この映えい画がの演えん技ぎは真まに迫せまっている。

  The acting in this movie is very realistic.