N431/160
さ
い-adjective stem + さna-adjective + さ良い -> 良さ (irregular)
Meanings
- turns i-adjectives into abstract nouns denoting quality, degree, or state
- nominalizes adjectives to express the feeling or amount
- used to discuss the nature or amount of a quality
About this pattern
Explanation
さ attaches to adjectives to form a noun that expresses the quality, degree, or state of something. It is commonly used in writing and spoken Japanese when analyzing or describing characteristics rather than describing something directly. With い-adjectives, you use the adjective's stem plus さ (高い -> 高さ, 優しい -> 優しさ). With な-adjectives, you attach さ directly (静か -> 静かさ, 便利 -> 便利さ). The word 良い has a common nominalized form 良さ (irregular). These nouns are often used with forms like です, の, ため, or to compare or talk about importance, degree, or extent.