貧しい（まずしい、mazushii）
- poor

The Japanese word 貧しい, pronounced まずしい (mazushii), means "poor" or "destitute". It describes a state of lacking financial resources, or having little in the way of material possessions. It can also refer to something being meager or lacking in quality or quantity. 貧しい implies a lack of wealth and the difficulties that come with it.

⚫︎彼は貧しい家に住んでいます。 Translation: He lives in a poor house. ⚫︎その家族は貧しい生活を送っています。 Translation: That family is leading a poor life. ⚫︎貧しい国の子供たちは十分な食べ物を得ることができません。 Translation: Children in poor countries cannot get enough food.

You use 貧しい to describe people, families, or countries that have limited financial means. You can also use it to describe the lack of something, such as resources, quality, or quantity. It is a descriptive adjective, so it directly modifies a noun. Remember that 貧しい carries a somewhat negative connotation, emphasizing hardship and lack.

貧しい is written in kanji as 貧しい, and the reading is indicated by the hiragana まずしい. The okurigana is typically い (i), which is the standard adjective ending. There are no other common ways to write this word. The kanji 貧 itself means "poor" or "poverty".

⚫︎ 貧乏な (binbou na): This is a more common and colloquial word for "poor." ⚫︎ 困窮した (konkyuu shita): This word describes a state of financial distress. ⚫︎ 乏しい (toboshii): Meaning "scarce" or "lacking," this can also be used to describe poverty of resources or quantity.

⚫︎ 裕福な (yuufuku na): wealthy, affluent. ⚫︎ 金持ちの (kanemochi no): rich, wealthy. ⚫︎ 豊かな (yutaka na): abundant, rich.

貧しい人々を助けるために、ボランティア活動をしています。 ・Translation: I do volunteer work to help poor people. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 貧しい to describe people in need, highlighting the purpose of the volunteer work.

その店は貧しい品揃えで、客を引きつけられなかった。 ・Translation: That shop couldn't attract customers with its poor selection of goods. ・Explanation: Here, 貧しい is used to describe the lack of variety in the shop's merchandise.

The etymology of 貧しい comes from the kanji 貧, which combines the elements of "money" or "wealth" with "to divide" or "to separate." The "to divide" part suggests a lack of resources being distributed, leading to the meaning of "poor." The suffix しい is a standard adjective ending.