Today I’d like to talk about the word 縁 (en) which is tied to concepts dear to Japanese sensitivity and philosophy. We find it used in everyday conversations, however its original meaning is the “edge, hem of a cloth” and it designates the Japanese veranda-style porch you see in old houses, usually called 縁側 (engawa). In addition to these meanings, it is a Buddhist term about the indirect causes or conditions that lead to a consequence. Similarly, it is also used to describe the mysterious force that binds people together, for example “bond, fate, destiny, relationship, link, connection, opportunity, chance.”
We hear it a lot in phrases like “これも何かのご縁ですから” (koremo nanika no goen desukara), which means “since this is also some en.” It is used when we want to cherish an encounter with somebody, adding to it a special destiny-like meaning and embracing it as a fate. Notice that we add a “go” before the “en” which signifies the honorific.
We also use it in the expression “ご縁があって” (goen ga atte) when telling a story when “this happened because of a certain fate/opportunity/reason.” For example, “ご縁があって、サンフランシスコに引っ越しました” (goen ga atte San Furanshisuko ni hikkoshimashita). = I moved to San Francisco, because of an en. However, it is very vague as to what this en means exactly here, what concretely made this person move to SF. If no additional information is told, it can be for any reason, from a job opportunity, to a relationship, etc. The nuance is that this person feels it just happened, without intentionally pursuing it. Maybe by fate, or in an American way, it could be a bit similar to “it happened organically” with a more mysterious vibe to it. Although, sometimes it is used when we don’t want to say the real reason, and it provides very convenient ambiguity!
Knowing this, can you guess why some Japanese people collect 5 yen coins, or have sometimes one on a thread (since it has a hole in the middle) as an accessory?
It is because “5 yen” in Japanese is “五円” pronounced “go en” which is the same sound as the fate-like ご縁. So it is used as a lucky charm, to gain fortunate opportunities.
Coming up soon, I will talk about few words -some ironic- related or using this 縁 (en).