wabi-sabi

American  

[wah-bee-sah-bee] / ˈwɑ biˈsɑ bi /

noun

1. a Japanese aesthetic concept that finds beauty and serenity in objects, landscapes, designs, etc., that are simple, imperfect, and impermanent.

   It's the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which delights in the tarnish on an ancient silver bowl and the old uneven cobblestones.

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Etymology

Origin of wabi-sabi

First recorded in 1990–95; from Japanese

Example Sentences

Craft’s 20th century Modernist revival offers a road map for understanding why his signature wabi-sabi surrealism at Loewe resonated so intensely, and no one channels this history quite like Josef and Anni.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 15, 2025

There’s an ancient Japanese philosophy called wabi-sabi, best translated as the beauty of imperfection.

From Washington Post • Feb. 14, 2019

“It’s kind of a wabi-sabi theme, with moss and found objects; nothing is polished and perfect,” says Vanessa, pointing out the gnarly old lilacs and the ancient apple tree shading the back terrace.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 16, 2017

As Jacob Gallagher, men’s fashion editor of The Wall Street Journal, posted on Twitter recently, “Hygge is the wabi-sabi of 2016 which was the sprezzatura of 2015.”

From New York Times • Dec. 24, 2016

DIY creativity is not new—it has origins at least in the arts and crafts movement of the late 1800s, the Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetic, and American pioneerism—but it has experienced a modern resurgence.

From Slate • Oct. 11, 2016