めでたい
めでたい
i-adjective
auspicious, joyous, happy
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | めでたい | めでたくない |
| Past | めでたかった | めでたくなかった |
| て form | めでたくて | めでたくなくて |
| Adverbial | めでたく | — |
| Conditional ば | めでたければ | めでたくなければ |
| Conditional たら | めでたかったら | めでたくなかったら |
1.
auspicious, joyous, worthy of celebration
Describes an event, occasion, or outcome that is fortunate and calls for celebration.
2.
naive, simple-minded, overly optimistic
Used ironically to describe someone who is blissfully unaware or foolishly optimistic.
Usage
Sense 1 is the primary meaning, used for weddings, births, New Year, and other celebrations. The polite prefix お- is attached in the greeting おめでとう (congratulations).
Sense 2 is ironic and mildly derogatory. The phrase めでたいやつ or めでたい頭 means someone who is foolishly carefree or oblivious.
Cultural note
めでたい is strongly associated with Japanese celebratory culture. The word is connected to 鯛 (sea bream) through the pun めで鯛, making sea bream a staple at celebrations.