Purposes or reasons; the plural of sake, as in 'for goodness' sakes' or 'for both their sakes.'
From Old English 'sacu' (cause, lawsuit, action), and Old Norse 'sök' (related matter, dispute), originally meaning 'cause' or 'legal action,' gradually softening to mean 'purpose' or 'interest.'
Japanese sake (the rice wine) and English 'sake' (as in 'for the sake of') are completely unrelated words—they just sound identical, which is a funny accident that confuses English speakers learning about Japanese culture.
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