sake

The first sense of this word is almost exclusively used within fixed prepositional phrases, most commonly "for the sake of" or "for [someone's] sake." It functions as a justification for an action, emphasizing a desire to help, protect, or please another person, or to achieve a specific goal. It is rarely used as a standalone noun in modern English outside of these idiomatic constructions.

In contrast, the second sense refers to the Japanese rice wine. While the first sense is an abstract concept, this sense is a concrete substance. Because it is a liquid, it is treated as an uncountable mass noun, though it can be counted when referring to containers, such as "two sakes" meaning two servings or bottles of the drink.