# sonzai



## JapanForever

Hi there, 
What does "sonzai" 存在 mean precisely? I know it means literally "existence presence" but sometimes it often showed in sentences for example I found it : "boku no sonzai" "imouto no sonzai"...Is it emphatic or something?
Please!
Thanks for your answers


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## wanabee

JapanForever said:


> Hi there,
> What does "sonzai" 存在 mean precisely? I know it means literally "existence presence" but sometimes it often showed in sentences for example I found it : "boku no sonzai" "imouto no sonzai"...Is it emphatic or something?
> Please!
> Thanks for your answers



Hi!
Please give some context and sentences in which you saw ぼくの存在 and 妹の存在.


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## Flaminius

存在 is often used as short for 存在すること in sentences.  Does that help you understand your sentences?

If this is not helpful enough, please post a sentence with sufficient context.


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## JapanForever

Can it mean "presence" in "imouto no sonzai" The sentence is english is "He dotes upon _imouto no sonzai" _so he dotes upon the presenece of his sister?


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## wanabee

JapanForever said:


> Can it mean "presence" in "imouto no sonzai" The sentence is english is "He dotes upon _imouto no sonzai" _so he dotes upon the presenece of his sister?




Hi, JapanForever!

"He dotes upon _imouto no sonzai__." _can be rephrased as "He dotes upon _the presence (or existence) of his sister_."（彼は，_妹の存在_を，溺愛している。）
That doesn't make sense, does it? 

"He dotes upon _his sister_." is much clearer and understandable (meaning 彼は，_妹_を，溺愛している。）.

The following example seems to me proper usage of "_妹の存在_": 

e.x.
I greatly appreciate _my sister's presence _in my life. (meaning 私は，私の人生において，_妹の存在_に本当に感謝しています。)

If you'd like more explanation, you would need to provide more context. (Also see Flaminius's post. I think it's concise and to the point.) 

FranceForever! wanabee


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## JapanForever

That's nearly the same setence as your first, except that 溺愛して was before ，_妹の存在_を...


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## wanabee

僕の存在 is not a sentence, but it’s a noun.

A)
ぼく（僕）means:  I, me
いもうと（妹）means:  my sister  (Let's assume 妹 is 私の妹.)

B)
存在 means:  presence, existence

C)
僕の存在 means:
1)  my presence (here, in this world, beside you, etc.) ;
2)  my existence (here, in this world, beside you, etc.); 
3)  the fact that I am/was present (here, in this world, beside you, etc.); or, 
4)  the fact that I exist/existed (here, in this world, beside you, etc.)

D)
妹の存在 means:
1)  my sister's presence (here, in this world, beside me, etc.);
2)  my sister's existence (here, in this world, beside me, etc.);
3)  the fact my sister is/was present (here, in this world, beside me, etc.); or,
4)  the fact that my sister exits/existed (here, in this world, beside me, etc.)

E)
僕（妹）の存在 and 僕（妹）could overlap from time to time, depending on the context, for example;

Please don't forget me even if you should marry another man.
あなたが別の男と結婚したとしても，（僕 or 僕の存在）を忘れないでください。
In this sentence, either choice is possible, but using 僕の存在 sounds more serious than a simple 僕.


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## JapanForever

Thanks wanabee. ^^


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## Ryukishin

In another case, I think 存在 can also mean "(the meaning) of one's presence/existence"
i.e 貴方にとって私はどういう存在ですか ？
What Am I to you ?/What do I mean to you ? or what is the meaning of my existence (to you) !?


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## JapanForever

I came back on this topic because I wanted to ask: does it can mean "entity" too? I have got this sentence 自分や妹のような永遠に近い存在  and I would like to know if that's truly entity here?


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## Ryukishin

"自分や妹のような永遠に近い存在"
in this sentence, I think It does mean entity/being/existence.
because the "近い存在"  basically means the close existence, or the existence of a certain person that you think is eternally close just like the "妹" :3
this is the only answer I can come up with
I hope It sorta helps


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## JapanForever

So isn't it more presence in this case? By the way I noticed sonzai was often used.


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## Ryukishin

Yes It is 
Of course, "Sonzai" is a japanese word that is commonly used after all


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## Flaminius

Ryukishin said:


> the close existence, or the existence of a certain person that you think is eternally close just like the "妹"


At a first glance, I thought the same thing.  On a second thought, however, I don't understand being eternally close.  [Maybe it makes sense in English but 永遠に近い does not.]

I think 永遠 is a poor choice of word for immortality.  不死に近い存在 would make better sense.


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## JapanForever

So isn"t it rather "he and the eternal presence of his sister?" in this case?


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