馬

馬 (canonical)
馬 (canonical)
uma (romanization)
頭 (counter)

Horse
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki
Tokyo dialect
Tōkai–Tōsan dialects
ja:馬

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE.
The initial m sound was apparently emphasized, possibly similar to *mma, becoming then uma or muma, via processes also seen in the word 梅 (ume, mume, “plum”). However, Pellard simply reconstructs Proto-Japonic *uma and treats the mentioned processes as secondary.
The ma sound denoting "horse" is common to a number of languages of central Asia, where horses were first domesticated, which has led some to speculate about a possible cognate root (but no consensus on any kind of relation exists). Compare Manchu ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ (morin, “horse”), Mongolian морь (morʹ, “horse”), Korean 말 (mal, “horse”), Mandarin 馬 /马 (mǎ, “horse”), and Proto-Indo-European *márkos (“horse”) and descendants such as Irish marc (“horse”, archaic) or English mare (“female horse”). More at *márkos.

a sawhorse: a four-leg stand made of wood or iron for supporting other materials


月

月 (canonical)
gatsu (romanization)
gwatu (romanization)
ぐわつ (hiragana historical)

/ɡʷatɨ/ → /ɡʷat͡su/ → /ɡat͡su/
From Middle Chinese 月 (ŋʉɐt̚).


月

/ɡʷetu/ → /ɡet͡su/
From Middle Chinese 月 (ŋʉɐt̚).
Compare modern Hakka 月 (ngie̍t), Min Nan 月 (ge̍h).


愛

From Middle Chinese 愛 (MC 'ojH).
Compare modern Mandarin 愛／爱 (ài).

(US) short for 愛州 (“Idaho (a state of the United States)”)


朝

朝 (canonical)
chō (romanization)
teu (romanization)
てう (hiragana historical)

Kyūjitai
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Shinjitai
Tōkyō

/teu/ → /t͡ɕeu/ → /t͡ɕoː/
The “morning” and “Korea” senses are from Middle Chinese 朝 (MC trjew).
The “imperial court”, “dynasty”, and “epoch” senses are from Middle Chinese 朝 (MC drjew), using the 漢音 (kan'on, literally “Han sound”) borrowing.


蟻

From Middle Chinese 蟻 (MC ngjeX). Compare modern Cantonese reading ngai⁵.

path

from the way that ants tend to travel in single file

from the superficial similarity to an ant

蟻蚕: a silkworm that has just hatched from its egg

蟻走感: formication: a feeling as of many bug crawling on one's skin

蟻付

a large grouping or gathering of people, much as ant will gather around something sweet

蟻量: : the weight of a silkworm just after hatching from its egg


人

From Late Middle Chinese 人 (MC nyin). The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing. Compare Mandarin 人 (rén).

person who does the activity of the suffixed word


米

Second grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)

(ateji) United States, America (a country in North America)


米

⟨yo₂nai⟩ → */jənai/ → */jəne/ → /jone/
First attested in the Wamyō Ruijushō (938 CE).
From Proto-Japonic *yənəi; possibly related to 稲 (ine, “rice plant”).
The colloquial sense is derived from the components of the 米 kanji: 八 (hachi, “eight”) + 十 (jū, “ten”) + 八 (hachi, “eight”).


米

米 (canonical)
bei (romanization)
べい (hiragana historical)

米国 (Beikoku, “US”)

日米関係 (Nichi-Bei kankei, “Japan–United States relations”)

日米関係 にちべいかんけい

アメリカ合衆国 アメリカ合衆国#Japanese

亜米利加合衆国 亜米利加合衆国#Japanese

United States (abbreviation of アメリカ合衆国 (Amerika Gasshūkoku) and 亜米利加合衆国 (Amerika Gasshūkoku): a country in North America)


氷

氷 (canonical)
Kōri (romanization)
Kofori (romanization)
こほり (hiragana historical)

⟨ko₂pori⟩ → */kəpori/ → /koɸori/ → /kowori/ → /koːri/
From Old Japanese.
The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 凍る (kōru, “to freeze”).


悪

悪 (canonical)
o (romanization)
wo (romanization)
を (hiragana historical)

/wo/ → /o/
From Middle Chinese 惡 (MC 'uH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


魔

demon, devil, evil spirit, evil influence


一

一 (canonical)
ichi (romanization)
壱 (alternative)
弌 (alternative)
壹 (alternative)
𪩩 (alternative)

Japanese_pitch_accent#Noun ending in 特殊拍+の

/itɨ/ → /it͡sɨ/ → /it͡ɕɨ/
From Middle Chinese 一 (ʔiɪt̚).
Compare modern Hokkien 一 (it).

the bottom string of a shamisen or other Japanese musical instrument


損

損 (canonical)
son (romanization)
そん (hiragana historical)

損を抱える


戦

(especially in sports) match, competition, contest


千

a surname, especially from the line of tea ceremony masters


十

ja-pos

十(じゅう) or 十(じっ) • (jū- or ji'-) ^(←じふ (zifu)?)

十 (canonical)
十 (canonical)
jū- (romanization)
ji'- (romanization)
zifu (romanization)
じふ (hiragana historical)

/ʑipʉ/ → /ʑiɸu/ → /ʑɨu/ → /ʑuː//ʑiʔ/ → /ʑi~̚/
From Middle Chinese 十 (MC dzyip). Compare literary Hokkien 十 (si̍p).


伝

From Middle Chinese 傳 (MC drjwen|drjwenH|trjwenH).


むら

Analyzed by some references as an alternative form or older form of 群れ (mure, “a group, a gathering”), itself traceable to classical verb 群(む)る (muru, “to gather, to group together”), modern form 群れる (mureru).
First cited in the Kojiki of 712.


神

Kyūjitai
Mandarin language
Middle Chinese language
Shinjitai

From Middle Chinese 神 (MC zyin). Compare modern Mandarin 神 (shén).

a mysterious or incomprehensible force, compare English act of God


四

/si/ → /ɕi/
From Middle Chinese 四 (MC siɪᴴ).
Compare modern Hakka 四 (si).


刀

Daijirin
Daijisen
Man'yoshu
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki
ja:松村明

From Old Japanese. 刀 first appears in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE. The furigana カ・タ・ナ for the phonetic attestation of katana only appears centuries later, however, the reading of 刀 in the Nihon Shoki and the Man'yoshu has been generally interpreted as identical to the reconstructed Proto-Japonic *katana.
Commonly suggested as a compound of 片 (kata, “one side”) + な (na, “edge”). This na element is spelled in monolingual Japanese sources as 刃 (“edge, blade”), but there is no historical attestation for any na reading for this character. A comparison with Middle Korean ᄂᆞᆶ〮 (nólh, “blade”) and modern Korean 날 (nal) suggests a Koreanic origin for this latter element. Vovin suggests a Old Korean coordinate term *xʌtʌŋ-nʌrh, due to the nature of the introduction of the specific type of single-edged sabers that are used with katana, mostly introducd from Korea from the 11th century onwards. Compare 直刀 chokuto for a more common reading of 刀 (“sword”) prior to the 11th century.

刀引: giving a sword worn on one's hip to another as a gift at a banquet

刀に懸けて: → a metaphor for firm resolve to see something through

the way that blood can cause the steel of a sword to rust

a derogatory term for someone who isn't even worth soil a sword

1999 September 23, “鎧(よろい)武(む)者(しゃ)ゾンビ [Armored Musha Zombie]”, in Vol.5, Konami:

A musha reanimated by deep hatred. Watch out when he brandishes his katana.

怨念により蘇った武者。闇雲にふりまわすカタナに注意。

Onnen ni yori yomigaetta musha. Yamikumo ni furimawasu katana ni chūi.

短刀

traditional Japanese [[knife]] or [[dagger]]

大小

“big and small”: the katana and wakizashi as a [[set]]

(weaponry) a single-edged sword, such as a katana


心

/simʉ/ → */ɕimʉ/ → /ɕiɴ/
From Middle Chinese 心 (MC sim).
The Buddhist sense is a translation of Pali and Sanskrit चित्त (citta).


日

/nʲitɨ/ → /nit͡ɕi/
From Middle Chinese 日 (MC nyit).

short for 日本 (Nihon, Nippon): Japan, Japanese, Nippo-


白

⟨sira⟩ → /ɕira/
From Old Japanese.
The combining apophonic form of shiro above, mostly used in compounds.

Combining form of しろ (shiro) above:
white

Combining form of しろ (shiro) above:
undyed, unpainted, unseasoned, etc.

Combining form of しろ (shiro) above:
pure

Combining form of しろ (shiro) above:
innocent

Combining form of しろ (shiro) above:
normal, unspecial


曜

曜 (canonical)
Yō (romanization)
Eu (romanization)
えう (hiragana historical)

/jieu/ → /jeu/ → /jəː/ → /joː/
From Middle Chinese 曜 (MC yewH).


円

円 (canonical)
en (romanization)
wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)

→ Chinese: 円

→ English: yen

→ Vietnamese: yên

→ French: yen

→ German: Yen

→ Greek: γιεν (gien)

→ Korean: 엔 (en)

→ Portuguese: iene

→ Russian: иена (ijena)

→ Thai: เยน (yeen)

/wen/ → /eɴ/
From Middle Chinese 圓 (MC zjwen|hjwen), with the original sense of "circle, roundness".
The yen sense came much later in the Meiji period, from Chinese 圓 /圆 (yuán), itself from 銀圓 /银圆 (yínyuán, “round silver object(s), especially a piece of eight”). Compare Chinese 元 (yuán, “yuan”) and Korean 원 (won, “Korean won”). Doublet of 元 (gen, “yuan (Chinese currency)”), ユアン (yuan, “yuan (Chinese currency)”), and ウォン (won, “won (Korean currency)”).
The yen became the official currency of Japan in 1871, succeeding the 両 (ryō) and the 文 (mon).

doublet

(mathematics) circle (set of all points in plane at a given distance and at a given point)

one yen is equal to 100 銭 (sen)

1989 November 10 [1988 May 25], Fujiko F. Fujio, “ミニチュア製造カメラ [Miniature-Generating Camera]”, in 征地球論 [A Debate over Conquering Earth] (藤子・Ｆ・不二雄 ＳＦ全短編; 3), 2nd edition, volume 3 (fiction), Tokyo: Chuokoronsha, →ISBN, 第二章, page 322:

Okay, 10 million yen then. 1 million! 100,000! 10,000!

一千万円でいい 百万円！十万円！一万円！

Issenman-en de ii Hyakuman-en! Jūman-en! Ichiman-en!

一千万円でいい 百万円！十万円！一万円！


円

円 (canonical)
En (romanization)
Wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)


南

/namʉ/ → /naɴ/
From Middle Chinese 南 (MC nom).


東

ja-pos

東(とう) • (Tō)

short for 関東 (Kantō): the Kantō region of Japan

short for 東国 (Tōgoku): a historical administrative division of Japan, corresponding to the modern Kantō and Tōkai regions


酒

→ Ainu: サケ

→ English: saké, sake, saki

desctree

→ French: saké m
→ Romanian: sake n
→ Turkish: sake

Kojiki
Man'yōshū
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki

⟨sake₂⟩ → /sakəɨ/ → /sake/
From Old Japanese 酒 (sake₂), from Proto-Japonic *sakai. Cognate with Proto-Ryukyuan *sake. Attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE, with the ideographic spelling 酒. Additionally, appears in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE and the Man'yōshū of c. 759 CE. This is the standalone form of saka- below.
Various theories exist regarding the ultimate derivation:
* Might be cognate with 栄え (sakae), the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 栄える (sakaeru, “to flourish”).
* Might be derived from 避ける (sakeru, “to ward off, to shun”), from the idea that drinking sake would ward off cold diseases.
* Might be derived from or a corruption of 酒 (kushi, “rice wine, rice vodka, sake”); however, the phonological shifts required are completely unexplainable.
* The final -ke may be an apophonic form of Old Japanese 酒 (ki₁).

(especially) synonym of 日本酒 (nihonshu): sake (Japanese rice wine)


酒

Originally a 女房詞 (nyōbō kotoba, literally “women's word”) term, possibly derived from reduplication of the first syllable sa from sake. Alternately, may be derived by metaphor from the Chinese-derived euphemism for sake, 竹葉 (chikuyō, literally “bamboo leaves”), as 笹 (sasa) refers to a type of short, leafy bamboo.

(archaic) any alcoholic beverage, especially sake (Japanese rice wine)


酒

an alcoholic drink, especially sake (Japanese rice wine)


火

火 (canonical)
ka (romanization)
kwa (romanization)
くわ (hiragana historical)

/kwa/ → /ka/
From Middle Chinese 火 (MC xwaX).


中

中 (canonical)
chū (romanization)
tyuu (romanization)
ちゆう (hiragana historical)


下

同意のもと、[…]


丸

⟨maro₂⟩ → */marə/ → /maru/
Shift from Old Japanese 丸 (maro, see below).

the circular outline of a Japanese crest

1 maru is equal to 50 斤 (kin), approximately 30 kilograms


乾

the first of the eight trigrams of the I Ching ☰

the first of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching ䷀


亀

亀 (canonical)
亀 (canonical)
kame (romanization)

⟨kame₂⟩ → */kaməɨ/ → /kame/
From Old Japanese 龜 (kame₂). First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.

(figurative) sluggishness; also, such a person


京

京 (canonical)
kyō (romanization)
kyau (romanization)
きやう (hiragana historical)


京

(specifically) Kyōto (a city in Kyōto, Japan)

上京 (jōkyō)

(especially) Tōkyō (a province of Japan)


仏

Baekje
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki

*⟨poto₂ke₂⟩ → */pətəkəi̯/ → /ɸotoke/ → /hotoke/
From Old Japanese, most likely from Proto-Koreanic *Pwutukye, hence related to modern Korean 부처 (Bucheo), Manchu ᡶᡠᠴᡳᡥᡳ (fucihi); see the Proto-Korean entry for more. The word was presumably disseminated by the Baekje people of southwestern Korea, who first introduced Buddhism to Japan. The first two syllables are ultimately from Sanskrit बुद्ध (buddhá), via Middle Chinese 佛陀 (MC bjut da) or some similar Sinitic form. Thomas Pellard speculates that the final element is an ancient Koreanic word for "king; lord".
The more traditional explanation still given in Japanese dictionaries is that the final ke element might be the Chinese-derived suffix 気 (ke, “spirit”), but a Koreanic explanation is more plausible.
First attested in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE.

(Buddhism) the Sakyamuni Buddha, Nepalese spiritual and philosophical teacher and founder of Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama


仗

仗 (canonical)
jō (romanization)
dyau (romanization)
ぢやう (hiragana historical)

仗旗

in medieval times, a special imperial flag marking occasions of special dignity, such as the first day of a new emperor's reign

仗儀

in the Nara period, a kind of codified conference before the imperial court, whereby noble below the rank of minister would discuss the business of government

仗座

the seat of the Imperial Guard; where noble would sit to offer counsel to the court

仗身

in the Nara period, the court-appointed bodyguard of officials of fifth or higher rank

仗術

a traditional Japanese martial art using a shortened staff: a kind of stick fighting


令

From Middle Chinese 令 (MC ljeng), 令 (MC ljengH), or 令 (MC lengH).

honorific prefix added before a term of kinship to show respect to someone else's relative


会

会 (canonical)
e (romanization)
ゑ (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 會 (MC hwajH).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


位

位 (canonical)
-wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)


佚

From Middle Chinese 佚 (MC yit).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


偉

偉 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 偉 (MC hjw+jX).


偉

great, excellent, magnificent, extraordinary


側

the first of the Eight Principles of Yong

勒

the second of the Eight Principles of Yong

努

the third of the Eight Principles of Yong; do

趯

the fourth of the Eight Principles of Yong

策

the fifth of the Eight Principles of Yong

掠

the sixth of the Eight Principles of Yong

啄

the seventh of the Eight Principles of Yong

磔

the eighth of the Eight Principles of Yong


傭

ja-pos

傭(よう) • (yō)


傷

傷 (canonical)
傷 (canonical)
kizu (romanization)

Korean: 기스 (giseu)

⟨ki₁zu⟩ → */kizu/ → /kizu/
From Old Japanese 瑕 (ki₁zu).
Any apparent relation to verb 切る (kiru, “to cut”) is rejected by mid-vowel preservation of its Ryukyuan cognates.

any form of shallow wound: an injury, cut, scar

車の傷を消す

any kind of light damage: a chip, scratch, blemish, stain


傷

傷 (canonical)
shō (romanization)
syau (romanization)
しやう (hiragana historical)

/sjau/ → /sʲɔː/ → /sʲoː/
From Middle Chinese 傷 (MC syang|syangH).


光

光 (canonical)
hikari (romanization)
筋 (counter)

→ Okinawan: 光 (fikari)

⟨pi₁kari⟩ → */pʲikari/ → /ɸikari/ → /hikari/
From Old Japanese.
Nominalization of the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 光る (hikaru, “to shine, to glitter, to gleam”).

光通信ケーブル

optical communication cable, fiberoptic cable

蛍の光窓の雪

firefly's dim light, snow reflect on the window → diligent study

a metaphorical light:
glory, influence, power


光

光 (canonical)
kō (romanization)
kwau (romanization)
くわう (hiragana historical)

/kʷau/ → /kʷɔː/ → /kɔː/ → /koː/
From Middle Chinese 光 (MC kwang).
Compare modern Mandarin 光 (guāng), Hakka 光 (kông), and Min Nan 光 (kong).


内

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *utui.

若い内に世界を旅行した方がいい。

You should travel the world while you’re young.

wakai uchi ni sekai o ryokō shita hō ga ii.

するならいまの内。

something while, during, inside or within a span of time

内の会社

1996 September 15, Mitsuru Adachi, “５×４Ｐ 第1話 お茶をにごす [5×4P Chapter 1: Tea-Bragging]”, in SHORT(ショート) PROGRAM(プログラム) [SHORT PROGRAM], volume 2 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 104:

あ——

あ——

あ——

あ——

(when used possessively) one’s own, my, our


内

(Buddhism) Buddhist teachings on the inner self or ego, as opposed to non-Buddhist ones


凹

凹 (canonical)
ō (romanization)
afu (romanization)
あふ (hiragana historical)

/apu/ → /afu/ → /au/ → /ɔː/ → /oː/
From Middle Chinese 凹 (MC 'eap). Compare modern Mandarin reading āo, Min Nan au.

凹型

a die or other three-dimensional shape having a concave cross-section

凹多角形

a polygon with at least one internal reflex angle

凹地

an area where the ground is noticeable lower than the surrounding area

凹凸画: a style of Sui-Dynasty wall painting using trompe l'œil techniques to look three-dimensional


出

出 (canonical)
shutsu (romanization)
syutu (romanization)
しゆつ (hiragana historical)


刃

/pa/ → /ɸa/ → /ha/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *pa.
Cognate with 歯 (ha, “tooth”). Possibly also related to 葉 (ha, “leaf”), but the pitch accents do not match. Compare English blade, which also meant “leaf”.

any sharp and thin cutting implement: a blade, edge


刃

刃は切れるが重宝

for a blade, cutting [sharpness] is precious

yaiba wa kireru ga chōhō, → the highest value of a tool is its ability to do what it is designed for

/jaki ɸa/ → /jakiba/ → /jaĩba/ → /jaiba/
イ音便(おんびん) (i-onbin) form of 焼き刃 (yakiba), a compound of 焼き (yaki, “burned, fired”) + 刃 (ha, “edge, blade”, see above). The ha changes to ba as an instance of rendaku (連濁).
First attested in the Taiheiki of the late 1300s.

com

the wavy pattern formed in the metal on the surface of a forged blade


刃

kill with a bladed object, put to the sword


別

日本は別として

事実かどうかは別にして

setting aside whether it is the truth or not


刺

Nominalization of the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 刺す (sasu, “to pierce; to prick, sting”).

short for 米刺 (komesashi): a small tool used to extract a sample of rice from a bag in order to test its quality


割

二割


力

From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *tikara. Compound of Old Japanese elements 霊 (chi, “power, life force, essence”) + 柄 (kara, “source, origin”).

the traditional sumo stomp at the beginning of a match

力合わせ: matching strength: a competition of strength

力軍

a test of strength, a competition of strength

力石

a large stone used as a dumbbell for purposes of test of strength


力

From Middle Chinese 力 (lik). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing. Compare modern Cantonese reading lik⁶.

(Buddhism) capability, especially mystical power


加

Fourth grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


加

(US) short for 加州 (“California (a state of the United States)”)


努

the third of the Eight Principles of Yong

側

the first of the Eight Principles of Yong

勒

the second of the Eight Principles of Yong

趯

the fourth of the Eight Principles of Yong

策

the fifth of the Eight Principles of Yong

掠

the sixth of the Eight Principles of Yong

啄

the seventh of the Eight Principles of Yong

磔

the eighth of the Eight Principles of Yong


勘

Fullmetal Alchemist
君のような勘のいいガキは嫌いだよ
Kimi no yō na kan no ii gaki wa kirai da yo
I hate sharp-witted brats like you.


勧

勧 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)


化

化 (canonical)
ka (romanization)
kwa (romanization)
くわ (hiragana historical)


匙

Likely an alteration of the kan'on reading shi: /si/ → /hi/


参

/ɕamʉ/ → /samʉ/ → /saɴ/
From Middle Chinese 參 (MC tshom).


叡

From Middle Chinese 叡 (MC ywejH).
The 漢音 (kan'on) pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


叫

to clamor for or against something, to make an appeal for or against something


叫

ja-pos

叫(きょう) • (kyō)

From Middle Chinese 叫 (MC kewH), compare modern Min Nan kiò.


右

右 (canonical)
yū (romanization)
iu (romanization)
いう (hiragana historical)

The “right (direction)” and “respect, esteem, value” senses are from Middle Chinese 右 (MC hjuwX).
The “aid, assist” sense is from Middle Chinese 右 / 佑 (MC hjuwH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

alternative form of 佑 (yū, “aid; assist”)


后

后(こう) • (kō)


味

From Middle Chinese 味 (MC mj+jH).
Also used in Old Japanese as 借音 (shakuon) kana for ⟨mi₂⟩.


和

Empress Genmei
Muromachi period
Wa (Japanese)
ja:和

From Middle Chinese 和 (MC hwa, “harmonious”).
The “Japan” sense appears during the reign of Empress Genmei (707–715 CE), as this character 和(わ) (Wa) was chosen as a homophone with a more favorable meaning to replace the previous character 倭(わ) (Wa) then in use as the kanji name for Japan (see the etymology at 大和(やまと) (Yamato) for more details). The “Japan” sense was usually read with a kun'yomi of yamato, until some time in the Muromachi period, when the go'on reading of Wa became more common.

和露辞典

和食

和室

a Japanese-style room with tatami flooring and usually sliding doors

和映画


咫

Kojiki
Kōjien
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Shinmura Izuru

From Old Japanese. First cited to the Kojiki of 712, with the phonetic spelling 阿多 (ata).
Possibly derived from verb 当つ (atu, “to place one thing against another; to touch, to come into contact”, modern verb pair 当てる (ateru, transitive), 当たる (ataru, intransitive)), from the sense of placing one's hand against something to measure it.

デジタル大辞泉 w:ja:大辞泉#電子版

大辞林 w:ja:大辞林

(historical, archaic) roughly corresponds to the hand (traditional unit of length; in Japan, described as originally the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the middle finger (or possibly index finger) with the hand outstretched, often defined as eight 寸 (sun, “traditional inch”) or roughly 18cm)


咫

From Old Japanese. Appears to be a shortening of ata.

デジタル大辞泉 w:ja:大辞泉#電子版

大辞林 w:ja:大辞林

八咫鏡

The Eight-Ata Mirror; Yata no Kagami, one of the Imperial Regalia of Japan

八咫烏

Yata-garasu, an important figure in Shinto


咫

デジタル大辞泉 w:ja:大辞泉#電子版

大辞林 w:ja:大辞林


咽

alternative form of 嚥 (en, “swallow; gulp down”): only used in 咽下 (enka, enge, “swallowing (n.), to swallow (v.)”)

嚥

(en, “swallow; gulp down”): enge, “swallowing (n.), to swallow (v.)”)


員

員 (canonical)
in (romanization)
ゐん (hiragana historical)


員

員 (canonical)
-in (romanization)
-win (romanization)
ゐん (hiragana historical)

公務員


唖

From Middle Chinese 啞 (MC 'aeX).
The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing.


唯

/juwi/ → /jui/
From Middle Chinese 唯 (MC ywij).


喚

喚 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)


営

From Middle Chinese 營 (MC yweng).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


嘲

嘲 (canonical)
chō (romanization)
teu (romanization)
てう (hiragana historical)

/teu/ → /t͡seu/ → /t͡ɕoː/
From Middle Chinese 嘲 (MC traew).


回

回 (canonical)
e (romanization)
ゑ (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 回 (MC hwoj).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


囲

囲 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 圍 (MC hjw+j|hjw+jH). The kan'on.


園

園 (canonical)
En (romanization)
Wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)

/wen/ → /eɴ/
From Middle Chinese 園 (MC hjwon).


土

Ultimately from Middle Chinese 土 (MC duX).

薩長土肥

Satsuma Domain, Chōshū Domain, Tosa Domain and Hizen domain

(history) short for 土佐藩 (Tosahan, Tosa Domain, a former domain in Japan)


在

From Middle Chinese 在 (MC dzojX|dzojH). Attested in compounds since at least the 900s.

clipping of 在郷 (zaigō): countryside or outskirts


域

域 (canonical)
iki (romanization)
wiki (romanization)
ゐき (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 域 (MC hwik). Compare modern Cantonese 域 (wik⁶, /wɪk̚²/).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


基

counter for grounded things (e.g. pyramids, electric power plants, wells, toro (Japanese traditional lantern), tombs)


塩

From Middle Chinese 鹽 (MC yem, “salt”) and 鹽 (MC yemH, “to salt; salting”).

(chemistry) short for 塩素 (enso): chlorine


塩

(chemistry) a salt (substance mostly made in neutralization, such as sodium chloride)


声

声 (canonical)
koe (romanization)
kowe (romanization)
こゑ (hiragana historical)

⟨ko₂we⟩ → */kəwe/ → /kowe/ → /koe/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *kəwai.
Further derivation unknown.

(archaic) a Sino-Japanese pronunciation or reading of a Chinese character, as opposed to its 訓 (kun) or native Japanese counterpart


壱

Simplified from 壹 (豆 → 匕) in the 1946 Tōyō kanji list.


夢

⟨i me₂⟩ → */jiməɨ/ → /jɨme/ → /jume/
Shift from Old Japanese 夢 (ime₂), itself a compound of 寝 (i, “sleep, sleeping”, obsolete) + 目 (me, “eye; sight, vision”).
Appears in texts from the 900s.


天

From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *amay.
A bound form only appearing in compounds. Compare the formation of 目 (ma, bound form in compounds) and 目 (me, standalone form), 手 (ta, bound form in compounds) and 手 (te, standalone form).

天照: → name of the highest-standing deity in the Shinto pantheon

天下り: → an avatar of a god visiting earth

a former public official now working in the private sector

the area above a kitchen stove:
a shelf or shelves above the stove


天

From Middle Chinese 天 (MC then, “sky; heavens”). Compare modern Mandarin reading tiān.

天狗: long-nosed yōkai of Japanese mythology

天変地異

an extraordinary natural phenomenon or occurrence

天の与え


央

央 (canonical)
ō (romanization)
au (romanization)
あう (hiragana historical)

(US) short for 央州 (“Oregon (a state of the United States)”)


奥

Despite the apparent overlap with the modern goon reading of oku that is derived from Middle Chinese, this term is actually rooted in Old Japanese, appearing in the Man'yōshū collection of poetry dating to roughly 759 CE. Cognate with 沖 (oki, “the open sea, offshore”), originally in reference to “somewhere far removed, possibly out of sight”. While oki came to mean “far removed in the wide open → far off shore”, oku instead came to mean “far removed inside → inside, interior”.

奥羽

Ōu: the two former provinces of Mutsu and Dewa), Tōhoku

(historical) clipping of 陸奥国 (Mutsu no kuni): Mutsu Province


妖

妖 (canonical)
oyozure (romanization)
oyodure (romanization)
およづれ (hiragana historical)

short form of 妖(およずれ)言(ごと) (oyozuregoto), of the same meaning


妹

⟨imo₁⟩ → */imʷo/ → /imo/
From Old Japanese 妹 (imo₁). First cited in the Kojiki of 712.
Speculatively, may be related to terms such as 女 (me₁, womi₁na, “woman”), 嫗 (omi₁na, “elderly woman”), and 母 (omo, “mother”), wherein the medial /-m-/ appears to signify woman, female. However, the difference in vowel values presents a difficulty.

(archaic, said from a male speaker) a close female companion

one's sister regardless of age difference

かりごもの思ひ乱れて我恋ふといも知るらめや人し告げずは

karigomo no omoimidarete ware kou to imo shirurame ya hito shi tsugezu wa

one's lover or sweetheart who is the subject of marriage or is already married

(archaic, said from a female speaker) a close female companion


妹

Kōjien
Nihon Shoki
Shinmura Izuru
The Tale of Heiji

Analyzed as a shortening of imōto, itself a compound 妹 (imo, “sister, close female companion”) + 人 (hito, “person”).
Appears in The Tale of Heiji, written around the mid-12th century. May be much older, as this reading is also included in kun'yomi glosses for the Nihon Shoki of 720 (although the manuscripts with the glosses themselves are not as old).

(rare) synonym of 妹 (imōto, “one's own younger sister”)


委

委 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 委 (MC 'jwe|'jweX).


威

威 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 威 (MC 'jw+j).


威

power; might; strength; authority; dignity; majesty


娃

Sino-Japanese.
The 漢音 (kan'on) reading, so likely a later borrowing.

beauty, beautiful girl (generally only used in names)


婆

Possibly a reduplication of 姥 (uba, “old woman”).


媛

媛 (canonical)
en (romanization)
wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)


嬰

From Middle Chinese 嬰 (MC 'jieng).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


嬰

嬰ヘ ― eihe ― F-sharp


子

From Middle Chinese 子 (MC tsiX), also used in the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE) as 借音 (shakuon) kana for ⟨si⟩. Compare modern Mandarin 子 (zǐ).
The goon reading of shi is likely the original borrowing:
: /t͡sɨ/ → /sɨ/ → */ɕɨ/ → /ɕi/
The tōon reading su appears later, and only shows up in certain set terms borrowed from Chinese, where it seems to serve as a kind of nominalizing suffix:
: /t͡sɨ/ → /sɨ/ → */sʉ/ → /su/

(Chinese astrology) Rat, the first of the twelve Earthly Branches


宇

ウクライナ ウクライナ#Japanese

short for ウクライナ (“Ukraine (a country in Eastern Europe)”)


完

完 (canonical)
-kan (romanization)
-kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)


官

官 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)

public; state-owned (use, facility, etc.)


宛

宛 (canonical)
en (romanization)
wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 宛 (MC 'jwonX).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


宴

Alteration of 打ち上げ (uchiage, “finishing of a performance, banquet at the finishing of a performance”).


宴

From Middle Chinese 宴 (ʔenᴴ, “banquet, feast”).


宵

宵 (canonical)
shō (romanization)
seu (romanization)
せう (hiragana historical)

/seu/ → /ɕeu/ → /ɕoː/
From Middle Chinese 宵 (MC sjew).


寒

From Middle Chinese 寒 (MC han).
The basic cold sense as an affix is attested from some of the earliest texts in the 700s CE. Use as an independent noun is first attested in a text from roughly 900 CE.


寝

From Old Japanese.
The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of classical verb 寝 (nu, see below), modern 寝る (neru, “to sleep”).


寝

そのあたりの垣にも、家の門にも、をる人だにたはやすく見るまじき物を、夜るはやすき寝も寝ず、闇の夜に出て、穴をくじり、かひ間見、まどひあへり。

c. late 9th–mid-10th century, Taketori Monogatari (page 5)

Sono atari no kaki ni mo, ie no mon ni mo, oru hito dani tawayasuku miru majiki mono o, yoru hayasuki i mo nezu, yami no yo ni idete, ana o kujiri, kaimami, madoiaeri.


寝

/sim/ → /simʉ/ → /ɕimʉ/ → /ɕiɴ/
From Middle Chinese 寢 (MC tshimX).


寸

English: sun

a Japanese measurement of length equivalent to 10 分 (bu) or approximately 3.03 cm


将

将 (canonical)
Shō (romanization)
Syau (romanization)
しやう (hiragana historical)

/sɨau/ → /sʲɔː/ → /sʲoː/
The “commander”, and “general, other high-ranking officer” senses are from Middle Chinese 將 (MC tsjangH).
The “take, hold” and “from now on” affixes are from Middle Chinese 將 (MC tsjang).


尚

尚 (canonical)
shō (romanization)
syau (romanization)
しやう (hiragana historical)


尚

尚 (canonical)
Shō (romanization)
Syau (romanization)
しやう (hiragana historical)

a surname used by the Ryukyu royal family


尻

From Ainu シㇼ (sir, “place, island”). The kanji spelling is an example of ateji.


山

From Middle Chinese 山 (MC srean).
Sometimes spelled with rendaku (連濁), as -zan.

Mount, Mt.
suffix for names of mountains


島

/sima/ → /ɕima/
From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *sima.
Possibly related to Baekje 斯麻 (*syema, “island”) and Middle Korean 셤 (syem), whence modern Korean 섬 (seom, “island”).


巉

rugged, steep, jagged (as of a mountain range)


巉

Ultimately from Middle Chinese 巉 (MC dzraem|dzraemX).

(rare) rugged, steep, jagged (as of a mountain range)

Listed as a -na adjective

巉巌 (zangan, “jagged and steep”, said of a mountain)

but only observed in use as an adverb using particle に


巌

巌 (canonical)
Iwao (romanization)
Ifafo (romanization)
いはほ (hiragana historical)

/ipa po/ → /ifafo/ → /iwawo/ → /iwao/
From Old Japanese. Found in the Man'yōshū finished some time after 759 CE.
Originally a compound of 岩 (ipa → iwa, “boulder; crag”) + 秀 (po → ho, “something tall and prominent”, cognate with 穂 (ho, “ear of grain”), from the sense of something prominent sticking upwards).
The character is Japanese shinjitai, simplified from 巖.

compound

cognate with <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">穂</i> (ho, “ear of grain”), from the sense of something prominent sticking upwards


巳

Chinese zodiac
Jōdai Tokushu Kanazukai
Kōjien
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Shinmura Izuru
Shōsōin
ja:巳

Assumed to be an abbreviation of 蛇 (hemi, “snake”, modern reading hebi).
Philological analyses presume this was read as mi₂ in Old Japanese, as names 身麻呂 (mi₂maro₂, “a male born on the year of the Snake”) and 身売 (mi₂me₁, “a female born on the year of the Snake”) were recorded in Shōsōin documents, alongside other names born on the Chinese zodiac.

the Snake, the sixth of the twelve Earthly Branches (by extension):

a year corresponding to the year of the Snake

south-southeast: a direction pointed thirty degrees from south to east

1603, Vocabvlario da Lingoa de Iapam (Nippo Jisho) [Vocabulary of the Language of Japan] (in Portuguese), Nagasaki:

Mi. Example: Minotoki (time of the Snake). A time from 8 AM to 10 AM.

Mi. ミ (巳) 例, Minotoqi (巳の時) 午前八時から十時まで.


巳

the Snake, the sixth of the twelve Earthly Branches


巻

巻 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 卷 (MC gjwen|gjwonX|kjwenX|kjwenH).


布

From Middle Chinese 布 (MC puH).
;“Hawaii”
Short form of ateji (当て字) spelling 布哇.

(US) short for ハワイ (“Hawaii (a state and former kingdom in the United States)”)


希

希 (canonical)
希 (canonical)
ki (romanization)
ke (romanization)


帷

帷 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 帷 (MC hwij).


平

平 (canonical)
hyō (romanization)
fyau (romanization)
ひやう (hiragana historical)

Kyūjitai
Middle Chinese language
Shinjitai
Tōkyō

/pʲau/ → /ɸʲɔː/ → /hʲoː/
Possibly from Middle Chinese 平 (MC bjaeng).

short for 平声 (hyōshō): the level tone in Middle Chinese


廠

廠 (canonical)
shō (romanization)
syau (romanization)
しやう (hiragana historical)

/sjau/ → /ɕɔː/ → /ɕoː/
From Middle Chinese 廠 (MC tsyhangX|tsyhangH).


引

Second grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


引

bear; undertake; accept (particularly for "accept")


弗

弗 (canonical)
弗 (canonical)
futsu (romanization)

Originally borrowed from Middle Chinese 弗 (*pjut), meaning either “not” or “a gust of wind”. Apparently later repurposed during the later Edo period for its phonetic value in translating the Dutch fluor (“fluorine”).

(chemistry, chemical elements) fluorine, fluoride

六弗化リン酸リチウム: lithium hexafluorophosphate

ろくふっかりんさんりちうむ


弾

弾 (canonical)
dan (romanization)
だん (hiragana historical)


彙

彙 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 彙 (MC hjw+jH).

to sort and collect; collection, compilation, group


影

Unbound apophonic form of 影 (kaga).
From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *kankay. Cognate with 陰 (kage, “shadow”).

この町は影が薄い。


役

From Middle Chinese 役 (MC ywek).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


往

往 (canonical)
ō (romanization)
wau (romanization)
わう (hiragana historical)

*/waŋ/ → /wau/ → /ɔː/ → /oː/
From Middle Chinese 往 (MC hjwangX).


律

From Middle Chinese 律 (MC lwit).
The Buddhist senses are a translation of Sanskrit विनय (vinaya, “discipline, guidance, humility”).

der

(music) the six yang (odd-numbered) notes in the 十二律 (jūniritsu) chromatic scale


御

From Middle Chinese 御 (MC ngjoH).
The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing.

(by extension) serving nearby (to an aristocrat, etc.)


御

alternative spelling of 禦 (gyo): defend, protect


応

/ou/ → /oː/
From Middle Chinese 應 (MC 'ingH).


快

快 (canonical)
kai (romanization)
kwai (romanization)
くわい (hiragana historical)

pleasant, pleasing, comfortable, enjoyable


怨

怨 (canonical)
en (romanization)
wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 怨 (MC 'jwon|'jwonH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


怨

怨 (canonical)
on (romanization)
をん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 怨 (MC 'jwon|'jwonH).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


怪

怪 (canonical)
kai (romanization)
kwai (romanization)
くわい (hiragana historical)


恵

恵 (canonical)
e (romanization)
ゑ (hiragana historical)

/we/ → /e/
From Middle Chinese 惠 (MC hwejH), itself a translation of Sanskrit प्राज्ञा (prājñā, “wisdom”).
The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.


恵

Noble Eightfold Path
w:Noble Eightfold Path

恵, 慧: (especially in Buddhism) wisdom (especially prajna, one of the three divisions of the Noble Eightfold Path)


悔

悔 (canonical)
kai (romanization)
kwai (romanization)
くわい (hiragana historical)


患

患 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)


慇

From Middle Chinese 慇 (MC 'j+n).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

only used in 慇懃 (ingin, “courteous; intimate”)


慣

慣 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)


慰

慰 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 慰 (MC 'jw+jH).


我

From Old Japanese, as the long form of 我 (wa) below.
Compound of 我 (wa, see below) + れ (-re, nominalizing suffix).

suffix

first person singular pronoun: I, me, oneself

(usually vulgar) second person singular pronoun: you


截

From Middle Chinese 截. Compare modern Cantonese 截 (zit⁶).

截枝

a method of pruning, whereby tree branches are removed to prompt new growth at the site of the old branches

截頭

a clipped point, as when a leaf or flower-petal tip is snipped


截

Probably originally a misreading based on this character's visual and semantic similarity to 裁, commonly read as sai.

截金

thin layers of gold leaf cut into various shapes

or some other substance into a defined pattern

截留

embezzlement by government officials in ancient Japan

截癱

a kind of motor paralysis in the lower leg or lower torso, due to spinal damage or chronic alcoholism


所

所為

that, what is done; deed; cause; reason; fault


手

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *tay. Compare 目 (me, ma-, “eye”).

手早い、手堅い

strengthens the prefixed adjective or adjectival noun


抛

抛 (canonical)
hō (romanization)
fau (romanization)
はう (hiragana historical)

抛物面

paraboloid, a 3D surface in the shape of a parabola

抛物線面

抛物線面 ほうぶつせんめん

抛物面鏡

抛物面鏡 ほうぶつめんきょう


揚

揚 (canonical)
yō (romanization)
yau (romanization)
やう (hiragana historical)


援

援 (canonical)
en (romanization)
wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 援 (MC hjwon|hjwenH).


擁

ja-pos

擁(よう) • (yō)


支

The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation

w:ja:日本漢字能力検定協会

(えだ): branch off; little pieces separated; a branch; hands and legs


教

教 (canonical)
kyō (romanization)
keu (romanization)
けう (hiragana historical)

/keu/ → /kjoː/
From Middle Chinese 教 (MC kaew|kaewH, “to teach, to instruct”).


敬

From Middle Chinese 敬 (kjængᴴ, “respectful”).


旗

Fourth grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


旗

banner (type of administrative division in Inner Mongolia, China)


旱

旱 (canonical)
hideri (romanization)
日照り (alternative)

/hi₁deri/: *pideri > ɸideri > çideri. The nominalization of the verb 日照る (hideru).

a lack of water due to continuous sunny weather; a drought


明

明 (canonical)
myō (romanization)
myau (romanization)
みやう (hiragana historical)

/mʲau/ → /mʲɔː/ → /mʲoː/
From Middle Chinese 明 (MC mjaeng).
The Buddhist senses are a translation of Sanskrit विद्या (vidyā, “knowledge, wisdom”).


易

From Middle Chinese 易 (MC yek).
The kan'on, so likely a later borrowing.

short for 易経 (Ekikyō, “I Ching (Chinese classic text)”)


星

/posi/ → /ɸoɕi/ → /hoɕi/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *pəsi.


映

From Middle Chinese 映 (MC 'jaengH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

映像: an image

especially one on a screen or in one's mind


春

/paru/ → /ɸaru/ → /haru/
From Old Japanese.

春をひさぐ

to engage in prostitution(literally, “to sell sex”)


昭

昭 (canonical)
shō (romanization)
seu (romanization)
せう (hiragana historical)

/seu/ → /ɕeu/ → /ɕʲoː/
From Middle Chinese 昭 (MC tsyew).


昼

昼 (canonical)
chū (romanization)
tiu (romanization)
ちう (hiragana historical)

/tiu/ → /t͡ɕiu/ → /t͡ɕuː/
From Middle Chinese 晝 (MC trjuwH)


時

/ʑi/ → /ʑi//d͡ʑi/
From Middle Chinese 時 (MC dzyi).


暁

暁 (canonical)
Gyō (romanization)
Geu (romanization)
げう (hiragana historical)

/ɡeu/ → */ɡʲəː/ → /ɡʲoː/
From Middle Chinese 曉 (MC xewX).


暗

From Middle Chinese 暗 (MC 'omH).
The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing.


有

有 (canonical)
yū (romanization)
iu (romanization)
いう (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 有 (MC hjuwX). The sense “and, with a remainder of” is from Middle Chinese 有 / 又 (MC hjuwH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


期

From Middle Chinese 期 (MC gi, “period of time”).


李

李 (canonical)
李 (canonical)
Ri (romanization)
李 (canonical)
李 (canonical)
Rī (romanization)
李 (canonical)
李 (canonical)
I (romanization)

Japanese reading of the Chinese or Korean surname

Japanese reading of the South Korean surname


杏

杏 (canonical)
kyō (romanization)
kyau (romanization)
きやう (hiragana historical)

/kjau/ → /kjɔː/ → /kjoː/
From Middle Chinese 杏 (MC haengX).


来

From Middle Chinese 來 (MC loj).
Compare modern Mandarin 來／来 (lái).


林

From Old Japanese. First mentioned in the Man'yōshū, completed in 759 CE.
Derives from the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 生やす (hayasu, “to grow”). The root verb is in the transitive form, suggesting that the original sense of hayashi may have indicated a deliberately planted or managed grove.


林

/rimʉ/ → /riɴ/
From Middle Chinese 林 (MC lim).


柔

柔 (canonical)
jū (romanization)
diu (romanization)
ぢう (hiragana historical)

/d͡ʑɨu/ → /d͡ʑuː/ → /ʑuː/
From Middle Chinese 柔 (MC nyuw).


柳

柳 (canonical)
Ryū (romanization)
Riu (romanization)
りう (hiragana historical)


栃

A 国字 (kokuji, “Japanese-coined character”). According to Kanjigen, an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意), superficially of 木 + 万 or 厉. According to Kōdansha's Shindaijiten, unknown, but raises a theory that it derives from a hypothetically earlier 櫔 (simplyifying 萬 → 万).
Speculative theory found elsewhere suggests a derivation from 栃木(とちぎ) (tochigi, “Tochigi”), the toponym with which the character is primarily associated: 十 (to, “ten”) + 千 (chi, “thousand”) is a yamato kotoba formulation of the number 10,000, also written as 万 or 萬, whilst 木 is read as ki or gi, thus suggesting that the earlier form of the character be precisely an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 木 + 萬, superficially aligning with Kanjigen; however, the veracity of this is undetermined.
Additionally, assuming an origin in terms of 木 + 萬, the addition of the upper 𠂆 could be explained as an assimilation towards the similar characters 勵 and 蠣 (see spelling pronunciation below).

ja-etym-kokuji

Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata)


桑

桑 (canonical)
sō (romanization)
sau (romanization)
さう (hiragana historical)

(US) short for 桑港 (“San Francisco (a city in California, United States)”)


桜

桜 (canonical)
桜 (canonical)
sakura (romanization)

桜切る馬鹿梅切らぬ馬鹿

foolish to prune cherry trees but not to prune plum trees

→ Amis: sakola

→ English: sakura

→ Indonesian: sakura

→ Kavalan: sakula

→ Korean: 사꾸라 (sakkura, “spy”)

→ Kunigami: 桜 (sakūra)

→ Okinawan: 桜 (sakura)

→ Portuguese: sakura

From Old Japanese, first attested in the Kojiki, the oldest extant historical record of ancient Japan, compiled in 712 CE.
Originally derived from 咲く (saku, “to bloom, burst open”) + 等 (-ra, nominalizing and pluralizing suffix).

com

深草の野辺の桜し心あらば今年ばかりは墨染に咲け

Fukakusa-no-nobe no sakura shi kokoro araba kotoshi bakari wa sumizome ni sake

O cherry trees of Fukakusa Field! If you truly have a heart this year, at least you'll be dressed in blossoms dyed in inky black.

a cherry tree, in Japanese contexts particularly the Japanese cherry, Prunus serrulata, yet not limited to it


梅

梅 (canonical)
梅 (canonical)
ume (romanization)

English: ume

Daijisen
Heian period
Kyūjitai
Shinjitai
Tōkyō
ja:松村明
Ōsaka

⟨me₂⟩ → */mːəɨ/ → *⟨mume₂⟩ → ⟨ume₂⟩ → */uməɨ/ → /ume/
From Old Japanese.
Probably ultimately from Middle Chinese 梅 (MC mwoj), with the borrowed me reading gaining a pronounced kind of initial m- sound, perhaps realized as *mme. The phonetic spelling was often rendered as むめ (*mme, mume) from the Heian period, with *mme/mume and ume apparently existing in free variation. The reading eventually settled on うめ (ume). Compare the similar pattern of phonetic shift for 馬 (ma → *mma → muma → uma, “horse”), likely from Middle Chinese 馬 (MC maeX).


梅

→ Translingual: mume

Heian period
Kyūjitai
Shinjitai
Tōkyō
Ōsaka

⟨me₂⟩ → */mːəɨ/ → *⟨mume₂⟩ → /mume/
Possibly from Old Japanese.
This reading becomes common during the Heian period, later falling into disuse.
Superseded by the ume reading above.

(archaic, obsolete) the Japanese plum or apricot, Prunus mume


梅

From a later borrowing of Middle Chinese 梅 (MC mwoj).

(usually in Chinese contexts) the Japanese plum or apricot, Prunus mume


梓

ja-noun

梓(あずさ) or 梓(アズサ) • (azusa) ^(←あづさ (adusa) or アヅサ (adusa)?)

梓 (canonical)
梓 (canonical)
azusa (romanization)
adusa (romanization)
あづさ (hiragana historical)
アヅサ (hiragana historical)

/adusa/ → /ad͡zusa/ → /azusa/
From Old Japanese.

Japanese cherry birch
Japanese cherry birch

Betula grossa
Betula grossa#Translingual

synonym of 夜糞峰榛 (yoguso minebari): the Japanese cherry birch, Betula grossa

夜糞峰榛

synonym of 赤芽柏 (akame-gashiwa): the Japanese mallotus, Mallotus japonicus

赤芽柏

short for 梓弓 (azusa yumi): a bow made from the wood of the Japanese cherry birch; a small musical bow used to summon spirits


梨

梨 (canonical)
梨 (canonical)
nashi (romanization)

Pyrus pyrifolia
Yamanashi prefecture
ja:ナシ

From Old Japanese, attested already in the Man'yōshū. Further derivation unclear.

align

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梨子地, 梨地

nashiji, a lacquer technique using gold or silver powder or flakes

Pyrus pyrifolia
Pyrus pyrifolia#Translingual

more specifically, a Japanese pear or Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia)


梨

From Middle Chinese 梨 (MC lij). Compare modern Mandarin 梨 (lí).

梨園

the theatrical world, the world of the theater


楊

ja-pos

楊(よう) • (yō)


模

From Middle Chinese 模 (MC mu).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


横

横 (canonical)
ō (romanization)
wau (romanization)
わう (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 橫 (MC hwaeng, “horizontal”) and 橫 (MC hwaengH, “violent; unexpected”).

self-willed; arbitrary; unrestrained and aggressive


橘

Emperor Suinin
Kojiki
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki
Tajimamori
ja:垂仁天皇
ja:田道間守

From Old Japanese 橘 (tatibana). First cited in the Kojiki of 712.
According to the Nihon Shoki in a section describing the 90th year of the reign of the legendary 垂仁天皇 (Suinin Tennō, “Emperor Suinin”, traditionally regarded as living from 69 BCE – 70 CE and reigning from 29 BCE – 70 CE), a legendary figure named 田道間守 (Tajimamori) was tasked with bringing back from the heavens a 非時香菓 (tokijiku no kagu no konomi, literally, “timeless fragrant tree-fruit”; the same incident is also included in the Kojiki). This is often interpreted to be a reference to tachibana, but the text itself is not specific.
A surface analysis suggests that this is a compound of 立ち (tachi, “standing”, from verb 立つ (tatsu, “to stand”)) + 花 (hana, “flower”).
Shortened to tachi for some compounds.

compound

from verb <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">立つ</i> (tatsu, “to stand”)

short for 橘氏 (Tachibana-uji): an ancient clan who often held high-ranking positions in the medieval Japanese court, descended from Agata no Inukai no Michiyo and later Tachibana no Moroe

橘氏

Japanese destroyer Tachibana (1912)
w:Japanese destroyer Tachibana (1912)

(historical) a Sakura-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy (see Japanese destroyer Tachibana (1912) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia)

(historical) a destroyer subclass of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, modified from the Matsu-class destroyers

Japanese destroyer Tachibana (1944)
w:Japanese destroyer Tachibana (1944)

(historical) the lead ship of the Tachibana-subclass destroyers (see Japanese destroyer Tachibana (1944) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia)


次

From Middle Chinese 次 (MC tshijH, “in order; second”).
Less common reading in modern Japanese. Superseded in most cases by ji; see below.


欧

From Middle Chinese 歐 (MC 'uw|'uwX), originally meaning “to vomit” (ʔəu^X, modern Mandarin ǒu, Cantonese au²). Later taken from the first character of the transliteration 欧羅巴 (Yōroppa, “Europe”), which is identified with ʔəu (modern Mandarin ōu, Cantonese au¹).
The 漢音 (kan'on) reading, so likely a later borrowing.

ヨーロッパ ヨーロッパ#Japanese

short for ヨーロッパ／欧羅巴 (Yōroppa, “Europe (a continent)”)


款

款 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)


武

From Middle Chinese 武 (mju^X, “military”).
The goon reading of mu, so likely the initial borrowing.


歩

(finance) by extension of 分 (bu, literally “one-tenth”):

a percentage on interest; compare English commission

the lending and borrowing of interest itself


死

/si/ → /ɕi/
Appears to be a conflation of Middle Chinese 死 (MC sijX), with an Old Japanese root that happened to have a similar pronunciation to the Middle Chinese and was probably cognate with 去る (saru, “to go, to go away”). Compare modern Mandarin 死 (sǐ).
In kanji compounds, this would be considered as on'yomi; but on its own, this could be considered as either on'yomi or kun'yomi.

死勘定

dead account, trading account that has no activity

(law, historical) one of the five punishments under the 律令 (Ritsuryō) system, the methods used are 絞 (kō, “strangling”) and 斬 (zan, “decapitation”)


死

死灰

cold, dead ash; ash remaining after cremation

死界

underworld, world of the dead; blind spot, somewhere out of view

死学

field of study that has no practical use

死菌

dead bacterium or inactive virus used as the basis for a vaccine

死句

plain phrase or line in a poem, containing no implied meaning; ascetic's unsaid word or phrase, due to mental mistake

死蔵

putting something away and never using it

死文

dead law, law that is on the books but never enforced; document that is purely formal and empty of meaning


残

残欠、残品


殷

The senses “Shang dynasty” and “prosperous” are from Middle Chinese 殷 (MC 'j+n), corresponding to modern Mandarin yīn and Cantonese jan¹. The sense “rumbling” corresponds to modern Mandarin yǐn and Cantonese jan².
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


殿

The tono changes to dono as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Mr., Ms., a more formal title than さん (-san) but not so respectful as 様(さま) (-sama)


殿

→ Ainu: トノ

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE.

殿様


比

*(ratio, compare, equal, match): from Middle Chinese 比 (MC pjijX).
*(eighth hexagram of the I Ching): from Middle Chinese 比 (MC pjijH) or 比 (MC bjijH).
*(Philippines): short form of the ateji (当て字) spelling 比律賓(フィリピン) (Firipin).

フィリピン フィリピン#Japanese

abbreviation of 比律賓 (Firipin, “the [[Philippines”) (フィリピン)


民

民 (canonical)
min (romanization)
みん (hiragana historical)


氓

ja-pos

氓(ぼう) • (bō)


永

From Middle Chinese 永 (MC hjwaengX).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


永

(historical) abbreviation of 永楽銭 (eirakusen)


永

永 (canonical)
yō (romanization)
yau (romanization)
やう (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 永 (MC hjwaengX).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.

(rare) synonym of 永 (ei, “long (time), eternal”)


汗

From Middle Chinese 汗 (MC han|kan|hanH).


汚

汚 (canonical)
o (romanization)
wo (romanization)
を (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 污 (ʔuoH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


汽

Second grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


沼

Appears to be a compound of 沼 (nu, “swamp”) + 間 (ma, “space, area”).

沼にハマる

(slang, figurative) inescapable pit of addiction (to entertainment such as games, etc.)


波

/pa/ → /ɸa/ → /ha/
From Middle Chinese 波 (MC pa).


洛

洛 (canonical)
raku (romanization)
らく (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 洛 (MC lak), originally referring to 洛陽(らくよう) (Rakuyō, “Luoyang”).


流

流 (canonical)
ryū (romanization)
riu (romanization)
りう (hiragana historical)

art forms, methods, styles, and techniques peculiar to a person or house


海

⟨umi₁⟩ → */umij/ → /umi/
From Old Japanese, theorized as descending from Proto-Japonic *omi.
Has been thought to have been derived from a compound. There are two leading theories regarding the ultimate derivation:
* Shift from 大 (ō-, “big, great”) + 水 (mi, “water”, combining form).
: This is problematic phonetically because there is no known term having a related shift from /opo/ → /oː/ → /o/ → /u/, and semantically as there already exists a compound 大水 (ōmizu, “flood”).
* From う (u-, stem indicating “ocean”) + 水 (mi, “water”, combining form). The u- stem is evident in 魚 (uo, “fish”) and 潮 (ushio, “salt water; tide”), and in the 海 (una) element in various ancient terms (see below).


淫

淫 (canonical)
in (romanization)
淫なら (irrealis stem)
いんなら (irrealis stem)
innara (irrealis)
淫に (continuative stem)
淫なり (continuative stem)
いんに (continuative stem)
いんなり (continuative stem)
inni (continuative)
innari (continuative)
淫なり (stem terminative)
いんなり (stem terminative)
innari (terminative)
淫なる (attributive stem)
いんなる (attributive stem)
innaru (attributive)
淫なれ (realis stem)
いんなれ (realis stem)
innare (realis)
淫なれ (imperative stem)
いんなれ (imperative stem)
innare (imperative)
淫ならず (negative)
いんならず (negative)
innarazu (negative)
淫なれど (contrastive)
いんなれど (contrastive)
innaredo (contrastive)
淫なれば (causative)
いんなれば (causative)
innareba (causative)
淫ならば (conditional)
いんならば (conditional)
innaraba (conditional)
淫なりき (past)
いんなりき (past)
innariki (past)
淫なりけり (past)
いんなりけり (past)
innarikeri (past)
淫に (adverbial)
いんに (adverbial)
inni (adverbial)


渦

渦 (canonical)
ka (romanization)
kwa (romanization)
くわ (hiragana historical)

/kwa/ → /ka/
From Middle Chinese 渦 (MC kwa, “eddy, swirl, whirlpool”).

渦中

the one involved, the one dragged in, the one caught up


温

温 (canonical)
On (romanization)
をん (hiragana historical)


源

Derived from 水 (mi, “water”, combining form) + な (na, Old Japanese possessive particle) + 元, 本 (moto, “origin, source”).
Vovin believes that the na in the initial mina- element is not a genitive particle, but rather actually meant "water", contending that the mi was instead the honorific prefix 御 (mi-). See also 港 (minato, “sluice; port”).


源

a surname, especially those who are descendants of Emperor Saga


溢

From Middle Chinese 溢 (MC yit).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


溶

ja-pos

溶(よう) • (yō)


澪

澪 (canonical)
mio (romanization)
miwo (romanization)
みを (hiragana historical)

⟨mi₁ wo⟩ → */mʲiwo/ → /miwo/ → /mio/
From Old Japanese.
Derived as a compound of 水 (mi, ancient combining form of 水 (mizu), “water”) + 緒 (wo → o, “cord; something long and continuing”, likely cognate with 尾 (o, “tail”) from the sense of “something long and continuing from the end of the main body”).

com

ancient combining form of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">水</i> (mizu), “water”

likely cognate with <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">尾</i> (o, “tail”) from the sense of “something long and continuing from the end of the main body”

a wake (path left behind by a passing ship on the water's surface)


澪

澪 (canonical)
Mio (romanization)
Miwo (romanization)
みを (hiragana historical)


濃

ja-pos

濃(のう) • (nō)


灯

灯(とう) • (tō)


灰

灰 (canonical)
kai (romanization)
kwai (romanization)
くわい (hiragana historical)


炎

/emʉ/ → /eɴ/
From Middle Chinese 炎 (MC hjem).


為

為 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 為 (MC hjwe).

the twelfth string on a 箏 (koto, “Japanese zither”)

a fingering method for playing the 尺八 (shakuhachi, “Japanese endblown flute”)


烏

From Middle Chinese 烏 (MC 'u).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.

烏有 ― uyū ― (literally “not-have”) nonexistence; nothing

rhetorical question
rhetorical question#English

A Chinese interrogative for rhetorical questions.


煤

From Old Japanese, first attested in the Kojiki (712 CE).
Possibly related to 炭 (sumi, “cinder; charcoal”).

soot (fine particles of amorphous carbon and tar)


照

照 (canonical)
shō (romanization)
seu (romanization)
せう (hiragana historical)

/seu/ → /ɕeu/ → /ɕʲoː/
From Middle Chinese 照 (MC tsyewH).


爪

From Old Japanese, in turn from Proto-Japonic *tumay. The standalone form of tsuma below.


爪

From Old Japanese. The root form of tsume above, generally only used in compounds. Cognate with 端 (tsuma, “edge, side of something”) and 妻 (tsuma, “wife”, original sense of “spouse”).

爪音

the sound of a stringed instrument when pluck with a pick or plectrum; the sound of a horse's hoofbeat

爪弾く

to pluck with one's fingernail, such as a stringed instrument

爪折る

to pick or break something off with one's fingernail

爪隠し

hiding one's claw; a kind of zōri grass sandal, where the front end extends and folds over the tops of the toe

摘まむ

to pinch; to pick at; to pick something up with the tip of one's finger

摘む

to pick something up with the tip of one's finger; to snip the tip off of something


父

The “father” and “uncle” affixes is from Middle Chinese 父 (MC bjuX).
The “old man” affix is from Middle Chinese 父 (MC pjuX).


父

From a corruption of Middle Chinese 父 (MC pjuX).


爾

second person archaic pronoun: thou, you


牙

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshū.

牙喫建怒而

(obsolete) fang, tusk, tooth (particularly the canine)

牙骨

the jawbone, the mandible, the lower jaw


牙

Compound of Old Japanese elements 牙 (ki, “fang, tusk”) + 歯 (ha, “tooth”). The ha changes to ba as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

牙上面

ivory or boar tusk used to rub the surface of a print in order to bring out the gloss

牙筍貝

a kind of auger snail of family Terebridae

牙を研ぐ: → to prepare to hurt one's opponent. Compare sharpen one's claws

牙あるものは角無し: → a metaphor for how no one is endow with every advantage

fang, tusk, tooth (particularly the canines)

(falconry) dog (primarily used for counting hunting dogs)


物

(Kantō, informal) alternative form of 物 (mono, “thing”)


狭

From Old Japanese.
Possibly the original form of se below.


猿

猿 (canonical)
猿 (canonical)
saru (romanization)
匹 (counter)

→ Yami: sazo

John Batchelor (missionary)
Man'yōshū
Monkey
ja:サル

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshū, completed some time after 759 CE.
Ultimate derivation possibly borrowed from Ainu サロ (saro, “monkey”, from サㇻ (sar, “a tail”) + オ (o, “to bear, to wear, to carry”)).
The kanji is from Chinese 猿 (yuán, “ape”). Compare Japanese 猪 (inoshishi, “boar”) from Chinese 猪 (zhū, “pig”) and Japanese 豚 (buta, “pig”) from Chinese 豚 (tún, “suckling pig”).

bor

short for 日本猿 (Nihonzaru, “Japanese macaque”)


王

王 (canonical)
ō (romanization)
wau (romanization)
わう (hiragana historical)

/wau/ → /wɔː/ → */woː/ → /oː/
From Middle Chinese 王 (MC hjwang).

a Japanese prince's son (such princes include 親王 (shinnō) or 王 (ō) themselves)


珪

/kʷei/ → /kei/
From Middle Chinese 珪 (MC kwej).

(historical) jade tablet conferred upon princes as a symbol of authority


琴

/kimʉ/ → /kiɴ/
From Middle Chinese 琴 (MC gim). The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

琴瑟

qin and se →; kinshitsu, marital harmony"”

guqin (ancient Chinese seven-stringed zither) or other related instruments


琴

箏: a Chinese zither similar to the Japanese koto


瓦

瓦 (canonical)
kawara (romanization)
kafara (romanization)
かはら (hiragana historical)

[ka̠β̞a̠ɾa̠]

Asuka period
Daijirin
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten

/kapara/ → /kaɸara/ → /kawara/
Probably from Sanskrit कपाल (kapāla, “cup, bowl, skull”), possibly via Middle Chinese 迦波羅 (MC kae pa la). Along with Buddhism, roof tiles came to Japan in the Asuka period.
Cognate with 骨, 䯊 (kawara, “a bone, particularly a covering bone such as a skull or kneecap”).
Folk etymologies include:
* From 変わら (kawara), the 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) of verb 変わる (kawaru, “to change”), from the idea that tiles were produced by changing the clay into pottery through firing


瓦

瓦 (canonical)
ga (romanization)
gwa (romanization)
ぐわ (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 瓦 (MC ngwaeX|ngwaeH).


甄

Ultimately from Middle Chinese 甄 (MC tsyin|kjien).


生

From Middle Chinese 生 (MC sraeng|sraengH, “alive; fresh; raw; unprocessed”). The 漢音 (kan'on) reading, so likely a later borrowing from Middle Chinese.

ltc-l

(humble) I or me, the first person singular (used by males)


異

From Middle Chinese 異 (MC yiH). Compare modern Mandarin 異 /异 (yì, /i⁵¹/), Cantonese 異 /异 (ji⁶, /jiː²²/).

(Buddhism) change or disease, one of the four states or avasthā


異

ja-adj

異(い) • (i) -na (adnominal 異(い)な (i na), adverbial 異(い)に (i ni))

異 (canonical)
i (romanization)
異な (adnominal)
異に (adverbial)
異だろ (imperfective stem)
いだろ (imperfective stem)
i daro (imperfective)
異で (continuative stem)
いで (continuative stem)
i de (continuative)
異だ (stem terminative)
いだ (stem terminative)
i da (terminative)
異な (attributive stem)
いな (attributive stem)
i na (attributive)
異なら (hypothetical stem)
いなら (hypothetical stem)
i nara (hypothetical)
異であれ (imperative stem)
いであれ (imperative stem)
i de are (imperative)
異ではない (informal negative)
異じゃない (informal negative)
いではない (informal negative)
いじゃない (informal negative)
i de wa nai (informal negative)
i ja nai (informal negative)
異だった (informal past)
いだった (informal past)
i datta (informal past)
異ではなかった (informal negative past)
異じゃなかった (informal negative past)
いではなかった (informal negative past)
いじゃなかった (informal negative past)
i de wa nakatta (informal negative past)
i ja nakatta (informal negative past)
異です (formal)
いです (formal)
i desu (formal)
異ではありません (formal negative)
異じゃありません (formal negative)
いではありません (formal negative)
いじゃありません (formal negative)
i de wa arimasen (formal negative)
i ja arimasen (formal negative)
異でした (formal past)
いでした (formal past)
i deshita (formal past)
異ではありませんでした (formal negative past)
異じゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
いではありませんでした (formal negative past)
いじゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
i de wa arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
i ja arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
異で (conjunctive)
いで (conjunctive)
i de (conjunctive)
異なら（ば） (conditional)
いなら（ば） (conditional)
i nara (ba) (conditional)
異だったら (conditional past)
いだったら (conditional past)
i dattara (conditional past)
異だろう (volitional)
いだろう (volitional)
i darō (volitional)
異に (adverbial)
いに (adverbial)
i ni (adverbial)
異さ (noun-from-adj)
いさ (noun-from-adj)
isa (noun-from-adj)

ja-adj-infl

異

. で は ありません でした

. じゃ ありません でした


異

strange; unusual; extraordinary; excellent


疣

疣 (canonical)
yū (romanization)
iu (romanization)
いう (hiragana historical)

(rare, medicine, only in compounds) a small protrusion of the skin: a wart, a verruca, a skin tag

足底疣贅

足底疣贅 そくていゆうぜい


痴

From Middle Chinese 痴 (MC trhi). Compare modern Mandarin 痴 (chī).
The Buddhist sense is a translation of Sanskrit मोह (moha, “folly, ignorance”) or मूढ (mūḍha, “fool”).


皇

皇 (canonical)
kō (romanization)
kwau (romanization)
くわう (hiragana historical)

/kʷau/ → /kʷɔː/ → /kɔː/ → /koː/
From Middle Chinese 皇 (MC hwang).
The 漢音 (kan'on, literally “Han sound”) pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing from Middle Chinese.


目

目迎

turning one's gaze towards the direction from which someone is coming

目算

eyeball something, making a visual estimate or calculation of something

目笑

smiling with one's eyes; smiling at one another, catching another's eye and smiling or laughing

目食耳視

eating with one's eyes, looking with one's ears→ choosing foods based on what they look like instead of their taste, and choosing fashions based on what people say instead of how comfortable they are → all style and no substance

目銭: a kind of tax levied in the Kamakura and Muromachi period

a property tax based on the area of agricultural land

目前

right before one's eye, right away, imminent, immediate

目送

follow something or someone with one's eyes

executor of a lord starting from the late Heian period

deputy starting from the Kamakura period

目礼

greet or acknowledging someone with one's eyes

目割れ

plot, conspiracy, or other hidden plan being expose or found out

岡目八目

lookers-on see most of the game; Observers can read eight moves ahead while watching a game of Go from the side

真面目

real appearance or worth of something; serious

面目

one's honor, one's metaphorical face; external appearance

(taxonomy) an order in biology: smaller than a class, bigger than a family


眉

/majo/ → /maju/
From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshū poetry anthology of the mid-700s with the reading mayo. The ma element is very likely 目 (ma, “eye”, ancient combining form of modern me reading), but the derivation of the yo element is unclear.

眉毛: eyebrow

more explicitly refers to the hair of the eyebrow


睦

No longer productive in Old Japanese. Only found in lexicalised forms, some of which are listed below.


石

→ English: koku

→ Portuguese: coco

From Middle Chinese 斛 (MC huwk).
The 石 spelling came about through customary use in Japan of this character for the unit of measure.

a traditional Japanese unit of volume, one koku is ten 斗 (to):

for grains of rice; one koku is equal to approximately 180 litres

(by extension, historical) for land of famous daimyo or samurai; one koku is also approximately 180 litres

for 和船 (wasen); one koku is equal to 10 cubic shaku or approximately 0.278 cubic metres


石

a traditional Japanese unit of volume, one koku is ten 斗 (to)


私

Daijisen
Edo period
Muromachi period
ja:松村明

Shift from watakushi below.
This reading was already prevalent in early modern times, possibly around the mid-late Muromachi to early-Edo period.

私はイギリス人です。

(polite) first-person singular pronoun: I, me


私

[β̞a̠ta̠kɯ̟̊ɕi]

From Old Japanese 私 (watakusi).
A surface analysis suggests a compound term. However, no likely etyma are known.
* From first-person pronoun 我 (wa, “I, me”) + takusi: although the first element seems likely, the original meaning of watakushi was “private”, as opposed to “public”, with no first-person pronoun usage until the late 13th century.
* From 我(わ) (wa, “I, me”) + つ (tsu, “genetive marker”), and the other parts remains unknown.
* From wata + kusi: the only phonetic matches are 綿 (wata, “cotton; cotton batting”), 腸 (wata, “guts, one's innards”, likely derived from the “batting” sense), 海 (wata, “sea, ocean”) + 串 (kusi, “skewer”), 奇し (kusi, “magic, fantastic, supernatural”, adjective), 酒 (kusi, “alcoholic beverage”, likely derived from the “magic” sense), 櫛 (kusi, “comb”).
* The first element may comes from 内(うち) (uchi, “one's own, my, our”), and the second element remains unknown.
The meaning evolved over time from “private” or “privatization”, to refer to things that are personal, to refer to one's own person, and then finally to serve as a generic first-person pronoun. The full form watakushi is still used in modern Japanese as a formal, highly polite first-person pronoun. The abbreviated form watashi is now the most common and neutrally polite first-person pronoun.

私雨

sudden rain shower falling in just a small area

私金

personal money, secret savings, financial nest egg

私戯れ

chatting up a go-between or mediator, as an aside to the main issue being mediated


私

[β̞a̠ta̠kɯ̟̊ɕi]

(formal) first-person singular pronoun: I, me


私

/si/ → /ɕi/
From Middle Chinese 私 (MC sij).

[pronoun] I

Can we verify(+) this sense?; women's speech

me

used by haughty women of the highest classes of society

usually accompanied by archaic speech styles


移

(historical) under the Ritsuryō system of ancient Japan, an official document exchanged between officials with no direct authority over each other


竜

ja-noun

竜(りゅう) • (ryū)

1999 July 22, “砦(とりで)を守(まも)る翼(よく)竜(りゅう) [Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress]”, in Vol.4, Konami:

A dragon who guards a mountainous fortress. It strikes its enemies as it dives down from the sky.

山の砦を守る竜。天空から急降下して敵を攻撃。

Yama no toride o mamoru ryū. Tenkū kara kyūkōka shite teki o kōgeki.

2004 May 1, Izawa, Hiroshi with Yamada, Kotaro, “第(だい)26(にじゅうろく)話(わ) 賢(けん)者(じゃ)の試(し)問(もん) [Chapter 26: A Test with the Sage]”, in ファイアーエムブレム 覇者の剣 [Fire Emblem: Sword of Champions], volume 7 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN, page 70:

Dragons and humans ought to be able to coexist. Isn’t the world large enough for both? I’d love to see such a world.

竜も人も一緒に生きればいい そのくらいの広さは 世界にはあるだろ？オレはそんな世界を見たいんだ

Ryū mo hito mo issho ni ikireba ii Sono kurai no hirosa wa sekai ni wa aru daro? Ore wa sonna sekai o mitai n da

神と呼ばれし竜ファ ― Kami to Yobareshi Ryū Fa ― Fa, the Dragon Known as God

2007 October 20, Izawa, Hiroshi with Yamada, Kotaro, “最終話 それぞれの道へ [Final Chapter: Epilog]”, in ファイアーエムブレム 覇者の剣 [Fire Emblem: Sword of Champions], Jump Remix edition, volume 5 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, page 353

(mythology) synonym of ドラゴン (doragon): a Western dragon


竜

竜 (canonical)
Ryū (romanization)
Ryuu (romanization)
りゆう (hiragana historical)

(astronomy) short for りゅう座 (Ryūza): the constellation Draco


竜

竜 (canonical)
ryō (romanization)
ryou (romanization)
りよう (hiragana historical)

(mythology, rare or in Chinese contexts) a Chinese dragon


籠

ja-pos

籠(ろう) • (rō)

From Middle Chinese 籠 (MC luwng) and 籠 (MC luwngX).


粒

Not attested until a text from the Muromachi period with the spelling ツブ (tsubu).
An earlier form 粒 (tsubi) exists, which might have been the predecessor to this word; both must have been ultimately derived from a source cognate to つぶら (tsubura, “the state of being round and small”, obsolete).

a person or thing who makes up a larger group of such


紀

ジュラ紀


紅

紅(くれない) • (Kurenai) ^(←くれなゐ (Kurenawi)?)

紅 (canonical)
Kurenai (romanization)
Kurenawi (romanization)
くれなゐ (hiragana historical)

⟨kure no₂ awi⟩ → /kurenawi/ → /kurenai/
From Old Japanese.
Shift from 呉の藍 (Kure no ai), itself a compound of 呉 (Kure, “China”) + の (no, possessive particle) + 藍 (ai, “indigo → dye”)). The safflower, from which the crimson dye was extracted, was brought to Japan from China.


紅

ja-pos

紅(こう) • (Kō)


紙

紙 (canonical)
shi (romanization)
si (romanization)
し (hiragana historical)

全国紙、大手紙


紫

/si/ → /ɕi/
From Middle Chinese 紫 (MC tsjeX).
Also used in the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE) as 借音 (shakuon) kana for ⟨si⟩.


紬

[t͡sɨmɯ̟ɡʲi]

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 紡ぐ (tsumugu, “to spin”).


絵

絵 (canonical)
e (romanization)
ゑ (hiragana historical)

/we/ → /e/
From Middle Chinese 繪 (MC hwajH). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.
Compare Wu 繪 /绘 (⁶we).

絵に描いた餅

pie in the sky, castle in the air; painted rice cakes

絵に描いたよう

perfect example or representation of; as if painted

絵になる

to be perfect for a painting; to turn into a painting


維

維 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 維 (MC ywij).


繁

繁 (canonical)
han (romanization)
はん (hiragana historical)


羅

lightweight fabric or clothing; silk gauze; thin silk


羅

(US) short for 羅府 (“Los Angeles (a city in California, United States)”)


羽

Appears in the Wamyō Ruijushō of 938 CE.
Compound of 羽 (ha, “feather”, see below) + 根 (ne, “root”), originally referring specifically to where the quill of a feather attaches to the skin. Over time, the meaning broadened to refer to a feather, and from there, to refer to a wing.


翁

翁 (canonical)
ō (romanization)
wou (romanization)
をう (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 翁 (MC 'uwng).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


翳

From Middle Chinese 翳 (MC 'ejH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

shade; shadow (interchangeable with 影 (ei))


翼

(Chinese astronomy) the Wings constellation, one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions


耀

耀 (canonical)
yō (romanization)
eu (romanization)
えう (hiragana historical)


而

Calque of Literary Chinese 而 (ér): and, then, thus


聡

ja-pos

聡(そう) • (sō)


肖

肖(しょう) • (shō)


肝

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE with the spelling 岐毛. In turn, from Proto-Japonic *kimo. Cognate with Okinawan 肝 (chimu, “liver, heart”).

心腎肝脯 心人情也 腎音神 訓牟良斗 肝音干 訓岐毛

Heart, kidney, liver, breast. Heart is a person's feelings. The readings of "kidney" in Chinese is zin, and in Japanese, it is called murato. The readings of "liver" in Chinese is kan, and in Japanese, it is called kimo.


肥

(history) short for 肥国 (Hi no kuni, Hi Province, a former province in Japan)

short for 肥前 (Hizen, Hizen Province, a former province)

肥前

short for 肥後 (Higo, Higo Province, a former province)

薩長土肥

Satsuma Domain, Chōshū Domain, Tosa Domain and Hizen domain

(history) short for 肥前藩 (Hizen han, Hizen domain (Saga Domain), a former domain in Japan)


胃

胃 (canonical)
I (romanization)
Wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 胃 (MC hjw+jH).

Twenty-Eight Mansions
w:Twenty-Eight Mansions

(Chinese astronomy) Stomach Mansion (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions)


腰

腰 (canonical)
yō (romanization)
eu (romanization)
えう (hiragana historical)


膿

⟨umi₁⟩ → */umʲi/ → /umi/
Possibly from Old Japanese.
Nominalization of the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 膿む (umu, “to fester”).
First attested in the Nihonshoki of 720 CE.


膿

膿(のう) • (nō)


膿

ja-noun

膿(のう) • (nō)


臥

臥 (canonical)
ga (romanization)
gwa (romanization)
ぐわ (hiragana historical)


般

From Middle Chinese 般 (MC ban|pan|paen).


色

Chinese language
English language
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki
Old Japanese language

⟨iro₂⟩ → */irə/ → /iro/
From Old Japanese.
First attested in the Nihon Shoki with the meaning of color. Senses referring to a person's emotions also appear quite early on. The romance or sex senses appear from the 900s, apparently an influence from Chinese usage, and roughly comparable to the euphemistic usage of English colorful.

色艶

color and luster; a person's facial coloring; warmth of feeling in speech or attitude; interest or fun in speech or writing

色褪せる

lose color, fade; fade, lose freshness, become old and musty

色物

a colored item, particularly cloth or clothing; a lively and colorful variety act

色好い

having a beautiful figure; favorable (as in a reply or attitude)

(figurative) the metaphorical color or mood

the metaphorical color or mood
one's facial coloring or expression


艶

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *tuya.


艶

ja-adj

艶(あで) • (ade) -na (adnominal 艶(あで)な (ade na), adverbial 艶(あで)に (ade ni))

艶 (canonical)
ade (romanization)
艶な (adnominal)
艶に (adverbial)


艶

艶(えん) • (en) -na (adnominal 艶(えん)な (en na), adverbial 艶(えん)に (en ni))

艶 (canonical)
en (romanization)
艶な (adnominal)
艶に (adverbial)
艶だろ (imperfective stem)
えんだろ (imperfective stem)
en daro (imperfective)
艶で (continuative stem)
えんで (continuative stem)
en de (continuative)
艶だ (stem terminative)
えんだ (stem terminative)
en da (terminative)
艶な (attributive stem)
えんな (attributive stem)
en na (attributive)
艶なら (hypothetical stem)
えんなら (hypothetical stem)
en nara (hypothetical)
艶であれ (imperative stem)
えんであれ (imperative stem)
en de are (imperative)
艶ではない (informal negative)
艶じゃない (informal negative)
えんではない (informal negative)
えんじゃない (informal negative)
en de wa nai (informal negative)
en ja nai (informal negative)
艶だった (informal past)
えんだった (informal past)
en datta (informal past)
艶ではなかった (informal negative past)
艶じゃなかった (informal negative past)
えんではなかった (informal negative past)
えんじゃなかった (informal negative past)
en de wa nakatta (informal negative past)
en ja nakatta (informal negative past)
艶です (formal)
えんです (formal)
en desu (formal)
艶ではありません (formal negative)
艶じゃありません (formal negative)
えんではありません (formal negative)
えんじゃありません (formal negative)
en de wa arimasen (formal negative)
en ja arimasen (formal negative)
艶でした (formal past)
えんでした (formal past)
en deshita (formal past)
艶ではありませんでした (formal negative past)
艶じゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
えんではありませんでした (formal negative past)
えんじゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
en de wa arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
en ja arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
艶で (conjunctive)
えんで (conjunctive)
en de (conjunctive)
艶なら（ば） (conditional)
えんなら（ば） (conditional)
en nara (ba) (conditional)
艶だったら (conditional past)
えんだったら (conditional past)
en dattara (conditional past)
艶だろう (volitional)
えんだろう (volitional)
en darō (volitional)
艶に (adverbial)
えんに (adverbial)
en ni (adverbial)
艶さ (noun-from-adj)
えんさ (noun-from-adj)
ensa (noun-from-adj)

ja-adj-infl

艶

. で は ありません でした

. じゃ ありません でした

/jiem/ → /jemʉ/ → /emʉ/ → /eɴ/
From Middle Chinese 豔 (MC yemH).


芝

From Middle Chinese 芝 (*chi). Compare modern Mandarin 芝 (zhī).

芝翫下駄: a type of geta sandal popular in the Edo period

芝翫縞

a particular stripe pattern for kimono, popular in the Edo period

芝翫茶

a color for dye cloth, a slightly reddish-purple shade of chestnut

芝仙延年: a theme for traditional painting in China

芝仙祝寿: a theme for traditional painting in China

芝眉: an honorific term for referring to someone else's face


花

→ Amis: hana

→ Yami: hana

Kyūjitai
Old Japanese language
Proto-Japonic language
Shinjitai

/pana/ → /fana/ → /hana/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *pana.

short for 花札 (hanafuda): Japanese playing cards


芽

Fourth grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)

木の芽: leaves of Japanese pepper used as condiment


苧

苧 (canonical)
o (romanization)
wo (romanization)
を (hiragana historical)

/wo/ → /o/
From Old Japanese. Found in the Man'yōshū, completed some time after 759 CE.

苧桶

a tub or basin in which the collected hemp or ramie fiber are placed

苧引き, 苧引

the process of pull the hemp or ramie fiber from the husk


苧

From Old Japanese. Possibly the original name for the plant, or for the fiber from this plant.
Compare Korean 모시 (mosi, “ramie cloth; ramie plant”), Ainu モセ (mose), ムセ (muse, “nettle plant; bast fiber in general”). Alexander Vovin believes that the Old Japanese word was borrowed from Korean.

cog

虫の垂れ衣 虫の垂れ衣#Japanese

short for 虫の垂れ衣 (mushi no tareginu, “a kind of veil made of ramie and worn from the brim of a hat by women from the Heian period through the Kamakura period”)


苧

Appears to be a compound of 殻 (kara, “husk”) + 苧 (mushi, “ramie fiber”).
Some sources suggest that the mushi component derives from 蒸し (mushi, “steaming”), from verb 蒸す (musu, “to steam something; to be steamy or muggy”). However, ramie is not processed using steam, so these are more likely to be folk etymologies.

compound

蒭麻衣 加良牟斯衣

circa 800, Hiroshi Tsukishima, Kojisho Ongi Shūsei 2: Shibunritsu Ongi, Tōkyō: Kyūko Shoin, published 1979, →ISBN, page 47:


苧

[ka̠ɾã̠ɰ̃ɕi]

/karamuɕi/ → /karanɕi/
Alteration from karamushi. Rare and obsolete reading.

(rare, obsolete) a textile made from this thread


苧

[ko̞ɾɯ̟mɯ̟ɕi]

/karamuɕi/ → /korumuɕi/
Alteration from karamushi. Rare and obsolete reading.

纎麻衣 古流牟斯衣


英

From Middle Chinese 英 (MC 'jaeng).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

short for 英吉利 (Igirisu): Britain, United Kingdom (a kingdom and country in Northern Europe)


萎

萎 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 萎 (MC 'jwe).


葛

葛 (canonical)
葛 (canonical)
kuzu (romanization)

→ English: kudzu

Pueraria montana
Pueraria montana#Translingual


葡

ポルトガル ポルトガル#Japanese

short for ポルトガル／葡萄牙 (“Portugal (a country in Europe)”)


蔭

The sense “shade” is from a Middle Chinese reading of 蔭 ('imᴴ) which is reflected as modern Mandarin yīn. This reading is not recorded in Guangyun, but is found in Jiyun as the fanqie of 於 (MC 'jo|'u) and 金 (MC kim), and is the same as the original character 陰 (MC 'im) (“shade” and a few other meanings).
The senses “shelter” and “benefit from ancestors” are from Middle Chinese 蔭 (MC 'imH). Compare modern Mandarin yìn.
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

(historical) benefit (such as position, rank) from one's ancestor


蔭

From Middle Chinese 蔭 (MC 'imH).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


薩

薩 (canonical)
satsu (romanization)
satu (romanization)
さつ (hiragana historical)

薩長

(history) short for 薩摩藩 (Satsuma han, Satsuma Domain, a former domain in Japan)}}


薬

From Old Japanese. Cognate with the kusu root of adjective 奇し (kusushi, “mystical”), from the way that drugs and medicines would have mystical effects.

drugs

may imply over a longer period of time; archaic

薬子

an unmarried young woman serving at the imperial court who tastes the ceremonial spiced sake at New Years

薬玉

an ornamental scented ball made of flowers or other aromatic, displayed in early May

薬殿

during the Heian period, the consultation office of the court physician

薬練, 薬煉, 天鼠矢

pine sap boiled in oil to make a strong resin used to reinforce bowstring and other things


藤

ja-pos

藤(とう) • (tō)


藤

藤(とう) • (Tō)


蘊

From Middle Chinese 蘊 (MC 'jun).
The Buddhist sense is a translation of Sanskrit स्कन्ध (skandha, “collection, grouping, heap”) or Pali khandha (“collection, heap”). See entry at 五蘊 (goun).


虹

ja-pos

虹(こう) • (kō)


蚊

蚊 (canonical)
蚊 (canonical)
ka (romanization)

From Old Japanese. Possibly related to 噛む (kamu, “to bite”) or 痒い (kayui, “itchy”), although the ultimate derivation remains unknown.

蚊蟻 上可 下音疑 訓安利乃古

794, Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki, page 161:


蚊

ja-noun

蚊(かあ) • (kā)

Cognate with 蚊 (ka). Likely pronounced long due to being a single mora. Elongation of single mora words is still seen in the Ōsaka dialect with words like teː "hand" from te. The 794 quotation is the oldest extant example of a long vowel in Japanese.

蚊蝄䖟蜺 [...] 上二字加安下二字阿牟

794, Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki, page 104:

蚊 加阿

1079, Konkōmyō Saishōōkyō Ongi, page 3 (back):


蛍

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshú, compiled some time after 759 CE. Ultimate derivation unknown.
* The initial ho element is almost certainly the ancient form of 火 (hi, “fire”), which appears as ho in compounds such as 炎 (honō, “flame”, originally from ho no ho) or 火屋 (hoya, “lamp chimney”).
* Various theories exist regarding the taru portion. This may be from classical verb 垂る (taru, “to hang down, to droop”, in reference to a firefly's posterior; modern form 垂れる (tareru)), or a vowel shift from verb 照る (teru, “to shine”).


蛍

From Middle Chinese 螢 (MC hweng, “firefly”).

used in various compounds to refer to fluorescence


蛙

蛙 (canonical)
kawazu (romanization)
kafadu (romanization)
かはづ (hiragana historical)

⟨kapadu⟩ → */kapadu/ → /kafad͡zu/ → /kawad͡zu/ → /kawazu/
The more formal or poetic counterpart to kaeru (see above). Found in the Man'yōshū, completed some time after 759 CE.
The ultimate derivation is unclear, but the initial kawa portion (ancient kapa) is very likely 川, 河 (kawa, ancient kapa, “river”).
The phonetic development of the term had already progressed to kawadzu by 1603, as seen in the Nippo Jisho entry, spelled cauazzu.

a frog in a well does not know the great ocean

井の中の蛙大海を知らず: → metaphor of a narrow world view based on limited experience

(Noh theater) a specific mask used in certain Noh plays, depicting a drowned person


蜜

/mitɨ/ → /mitʉ/ → /mit͡su/.
From Middle Chinese 蜜 (MC mjit).

氷蜜

finely ground rock candy cooked with egg white, mixed with cold water as a beverage

蘇蜜

mixture of butter fat and honey, used medicinally or as a sweetener


衛

衛 (canonical)
e (romanization)
ゑ (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 衛 (MC hjwejH).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


衣

From Middle Chinese 衣 (MC 'j+j, “clothes, clothing”).
The kan'on reading, so likely a more recent borrowing.


衣

garb, robe (as worn by a monk, nun, or priest)


裔

裔 (canonical)
ei (romanization)
えい (hiragana historical)


記

⟨ki₂⟩ → */kɨ/ → /ki/
From Middle Chinese 記 (MC kiH).
In Old Japanese, this kanji was used as man'yōgana to transcribe /ki₂/.


記

short for 古事記 (Kojiki): the oldest extant record of the history of ancient Japan


詠

From Middle Chinese 詠 (MC hjwaengH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

(literary) the composition of poetry; composed poetry


謁

From Middle Chinese 謁 (MC 'jot).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

(literary) a meeting or audience with a noble


謡

謡 (canonical)
yō (romanization)
eu (romanization)
えう (hiragana historical)


貨

貨 (canonical)
ka (romanization)
kwa (romanization)
くわ (hiragana historical)


越

越 (canonical)
etsu (romanization)
wetu (romanization)
ゑつ (hiragana historical)

exceed; surpass; transgress (limit, extent)


越

越 (canonical)
Etsu (romanization)
Wetu (romanization)
ゑつ (hiragana historical)

(historical) the Yue people to the south of ancient China


踊

ja-pos

踊(よう) • (yō)


躯

躯 Extended shinjitai form of 軀 (canonical)
軀 (kyūjitai)


軍

/kʲun/ → /ɡun/
From Middle Chinese 軍 (MC kjun).

(historical, military) during the Zhou dynasty, an army of five 師 (shi, “divisions of 2500 soldiers”) totaling 12500 soldiers


迂

From Middle Chinese 迂 (MC hju|'ju|'juX).


逆

ja-adj

逆(ぎゃく) • (gyaku) -na (adnominal 逆(ぎゃく)な (gyaku na), adverbial 逆(ぎゃく)に (gyaku ni))

逆 (canonical)
gyaku (romanization)
逆な (adnominal)
逆に (adverbial)
逆だろ (imperfective stem)
ぎゃくだろ (imperfective stem)
gyaku daro (imperfective)
逆で (continuative stem)
ぎゃくで (continuative stem)
gyaku de (continuative)
逆だ (stem terminative)
ぎゃくだ (stem terminative)
gyaku da (terminative)
逆な (attributive stem)
ぎゃくな (attributive stem)
gyaku na (attributive)
逆なら (hypothetical stem)
ぎゃくなら (hypothetical stem)
gyaku nara (hypothetical)
逆であれ (imperative stem)
ぎゃくであれ (imperative stem)
gyaku de are (imperative)
逆ではない (informal negative)
逆じゃない (informal negative)
ぎゃくではない (informal negative)
ぎゃくじゃない (informal negative)
gyaku de wa nai (informal negative)
gyaku ja nai (informal negative)
逆だった (informal past)
ぎゃくだった (informal past)
gyaku datta (informal past)
逆ではなかった (informal negative past)
逆じゃなかった (informal negative past)
ぎゃくではなかった (informal negative past)
ぎゃくじゃなかった (informal negative past)
gyaku de wa nakatta (informal negative past)
gyaku ja nakatta (informal negative past)
逆です (formal)
ぎゃくです (formal)
gyaku desu (formal)
逆ではありません (formal negative)
逆じゃありません (formal negative)
ぎゃくではありません (formal negative)
ぎゃくじゃありません (formal negative)
gyaku de wa arimasen (formal negative)
gyaku ja arimasen (formal negative)
逆でした (formal past)
ぎゃくでした (formal past)
gyaku deshita (formal past)
逆ではありませんでした (formal negative past)
逆じゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
ぎゃくではありませんでした (formal negative past)
ぎゃくじゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
gyaku de wa arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
gyaku ja arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
逆で (conjunctive)
ぎゃくで (conjunctive)
gyaku de (conjunctive)
逆なら（ば） (conditional)
ぎゃくなら（ば） (conditional)
gyaku nara (ba) (conditional)
逆だったら (conditional past)
ぎゃくだったら (conditional past)
gyaku dattara (conditional past)
逆だろう (volitional)
ぎゃくだろう (volitional)
gyaku darō (volitional)
逆に (adverbial)
ぎゃくに (adverbial)
gyaku ni (adverbial)
逆さ (noun-from-adj)
ぎゃくさ (noun-from-adj)
gyakusa (noun-from-adj)

ja-adj-infl

逆

. で は ありません でした

. じゃ ありません でした

位置が逆なことに気づく

to notice that the positions are switched

すごすぎて逆に普通

so extraordinary that it's actually not that interesting

クソすぎて逆に見たい

so shitty that on the contrary, I do want to see

逆に知りたい


逆

逆のアプローチ


逆

逆方向


逸

alternative spelling of 佚 (itsu): lost, unknown; indulge; disappear


逸

From Middle Chinese 逸 (MC yit).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


運

運がいい人


違

to run counter to, to go against, to defy


違

違 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 違 (MC hjw+j).


遠

Second grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


遠

遠 (canonical)
en (romanization)
wen (romanization)
ゑん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 遠 (MC hjwonX, “distant; remote; far”), corresponding to modern Mandarin yuǎn, Cantonese jyun⁵.
As a verb in Chinese compounds like 遠色 (enshoku, “keep aloof from beauty”, kun'yomi iro o tōzaku), from Middle Chinese 遠 (MC hjwonH, “keep at a distance; keep away from”), corresponding to Mandarin yuàn, Cantonese jyun⁶.
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

遠交近攻

遠交近攻 えんこうきんこう


遠

遠 (canonical)
on (romanization)
をん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 遠 (MC hjwonX, “distant; remote; far”).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.

distant; far; remote (in time, space, or relationship)


遺

遺 (canonical)
i (romanization)
wi (romanization)
ゐ (hiragana historical)

/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 遺 (MC ywij).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


都

⟨mi₁yako₁⟩ → */mʲijakʷo/ → /mijako/
From Old Japanese, a compound of 宮(みや) (miya, “imperial palace”) + 処(こ) (ko, “place”).


里

From Middle Chinese 里 (MC liX).
Compare modern Chinese 里 (lǐ).

from the mid-Meiji period, defined as equal to ^(129,600)⁄₃₃ meters, approximately 3.927 kilometers or 2.44 miles


金

/kimʉ/ → /kiɴ/
From Middle Chinese 金 (kim). Compare modern Mandarin 金 (jīn), Hokkien 金 (kim).


針

⟨pari⟩ → /ɸaɾi/ → /haɾi/
From Old Japanese 針 (pari).

any slender, pointed object resembling or similar in use to a needle:


鉛

Perhaps related to Goguryeo 乃勿 (*namur). Compare Korean 납 (nap).


銀

Hokkien language
Middle Chinese language

From Middle Chinese 銀 (MC ngin). Compare modern Hokkien reading gîn.

(shogi) short for 銀将 (ginshō): a silver general

(historical) short for 丁銀 (chōgin): an Edo-period silver coin in the shape of a sea cucumber

丁銀

short for 銀蜻蜓 (gin'yanma): the lesser emperor, Anax parthenope


鋏

Originally the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 鋏む (hasamu, “to be tightly between two things, to be inserted in between””), itself apparently deriving from hasa (“narrowness between other things”, likely cognate with 細 (hoso), “skinny, narrowness within the thing itself”) + auxiliary suffix む (mu, “to be or become like something”).
Cognate and homophonic with 挟, 挿 (hasami): “being stuck in between other things”.

空鋏

working a pair of scissors to make the sound of cutting, without actually cutting anything

木鋏

long shears for pruning, such as for a hedge

銀葉鋏

tweezers for holding silver leaf in traditional Japanese incense

唐鋏

western-style scissors, with a pivot in the center and forming an X shape

握り鋏

traditional Japanese shears, with a join at the back end and forming a U shape

鋏を入れる

to put the scissors in → to cut with scissors; to punch a ticket; to trim vegetation or hair

螯, ハサミ: (zootomy) pincers, claws, or chela as found on a crab, lobster, or other arthropod

a punch as used to make a hole in a piece of paper


鋏

Probably originally an abbreviation of synonym yattokobasami, with the yattoko portion possibly an alteration of 焼き床 (yakidoko, “the cooking bed of an oven, or the firing bed of a kiln”, possibly formerly read as yakitoko, literally “burning or cooking bed”), perhaps used as a dialect word referring to the forge; compare 火床 (hidoko, “hearth; a firepit, such as beneath a boiler”, literally “fire bed”).

pincers, nippers, pliers, tongs, or grippers, specifically those used to hold a metal object being worked in blacksmithing


鋏

(rare) pincers, nippers, pliers, tongs, or grippers, more specifically those used to hold a metal object being worked in blacksmithing


鋏

鋏 (canonical)
kyō (romanization)
kefu (romanization)
けふ (hiragana historical)

/kepu/ → /keɸu/ → /keu/ → /kjoː/
From Middle Chinese 鋏 /铗 (kiɛp, “tongs, pincers”). Compare modern Cantonese reading gaap³.

鋏角

chelicera, the mouthpart of certain arthropods such as spider


鋭

ja-adj

鋭(えい) • (ei) -na (adnominal 鋭(えい)な (ei na), adverbial 鋭(えい)に (ei ni))

鋭 (canonical)
ei (romanization)
鋭な (adnominal)
鋭に (adverbial)
鋭だろ (imperfective stem)
えいだろ (imperfective stem)
ei daro (imperfective)
鋭で (continuative stem)
えいで (continuative stem)
ei de (continuative)
鋭だ (stem terminative)
えいだ (stem terminative)
ei da (terminative)
鋭な (attributive stem)
えいな (attributive stem)
ei na (attributive)
鋭なら (hypothetical stem)
えいなら (hypothetical stem)
ei nara (hypothetical)
鋭であれ (imperative stem)
えいであれ (imperative stem)
ei de are (imperative)
鋭ではない (informal negative)
鋭じゃない (informal negative)
えいではない (informal negative)
えいじゃない (informal negative)
ei de wa nai (informal negative)
ei ja nai (informal negative)
鋭だった (informal past)
えいだった (informal past)
ei datta (informal past)
鋭ではなかった (informal negative past)
鋭じゃなかった (informal negative past)
えいではなかった (informal negative past)
えいじゃなかった (informal negative past)
ei de wa nakatta (informal negative past)
ei ja nakatta (informal negative past)
鋭です (formal)
えいです (formal)
ei desu (formal)
鋭ではありません (formal negative)
鋭じゃありません (formal negative)
えいではありません (formal negative)
えいじゃありません (formal negative)
ei de wa arimasen (formal negative)
ei ja arimasen (formal negative)
鋭でした (formal past)
えいでした (formal past)
ei deshita (formal past)
鋭ではありませんでした (formal negative past)
鋭じゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
えいではありませんでした (formal negative past)
えいじゃありませんでした (formal negative past)
ei de wa arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
ei ja arimasen deshita (formal negative past)
鋭で (conjunctive)
えいで (conjunctive)
ei de (conjunctive)
鋭なら（ば） (conditional)
えいなら（ば） (conditional)
ei nara (ba) (conditional)
鋭だったら (conditional past)
えいだったら (conditional past)
ei dattara (conditional past)
鋭だろう (volitional)
えいだろう (volitional)
ei darō (volitional)
鋭に (adverbial)
えいに (adverbial)
ei ni (adverbial)
鋭さ (noun-from-adj)
えいさ (noun-from-adj)
eisa (noun-from-adj)

ja-adj-infl

鋭

. で は ありません でした

. じゃ ありません でした


錨

Derivation ultimately unknown. Possibly cognate with or derived from Old Japanese 海石 (ikuri, “sea rock, outcrop at sea”).
Appears in the Harima Fudoki of 715 CE.
Reconstructed as deriving from Proto-Japonic *ikari.

inh

(nautical) an anchor (tool to moor a vessel into the sea bottom)

an anchor-shaped tool on the end of a rope or other line, used to secure the line

a kind of 家紋 (kamon, “family crest”) in the shape of an anchor


錨

錨 (canonical)
byō (romanization)
beu (romanization)
べう (hiragana historical)

/beu/ → */bɨəː/ → /bjoː/
From Middle Chinese 錨 (MC *mˠiᴇu).


鍼

Extension of and cognate with 針 (hari, “needle used in embroidery”).


鎖

From Middle Chinese 鎻 or 鎖 (MC swaX). Compare modern Mandarin 鎖 /锁 (suǒ, “lock, padlock; shackles, chains”).
Only used in compounds in modern Japanese.


鏡

From Old Japanese.
Originally a compound of 影 (kaga, ancient combining form of 影 (kage), “shadow; outline; figure; image”) + 見 (mi, “seeing”, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 見る (miru), “to see, to look at”).

com

ancient combining form of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">影</i> (kage), “shadow; outline; figure; image”


鏡

鏡 (canonical)
Kyō (romanization)
Kyau (romanization)
きやう (hiragana historical)

/kjau/ → /kjɔː/ → /kjoː/
From Middle Chinese 鏡 (MC kjaengH).


鑑

/kam/ → /kamʉ/ → /kaɴ/
From Middle Chinese 鑒 (MC kaemH).


長

長 (canonical)
Chō (romanization)
Tyau (romanization)
ちやう (hiragana historical)

/tjau/ → /t͡ɕjau/ → /t͡ɕɔː/ → /t͡ɕoː/
From Middle Chinese 長 (MC trjangX) in the sense of “chief, head, leader” and 長 (MC drjang) (literally meaning “long”) for other senses. The two Middle Chinese readings were distinct but etymologically connected.


関

関 (canonical)
kan (romanization)
kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)


閲

to review manuscripts; to read attentively


閲

From Middle Chinese 閱 (MC ywet).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


閾

閾 (canonical)
iki (romanization)
wiki (romanization)
ゐき (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 閾 (MC xwik). Compare modern Cantonese 閾 /阈 (wik⁶, /wɪk̚²/).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


阪

Fourth grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


院

院 (canonical)
in (romanization)
ゐん (hiragana historical)

Kan'yōon (irregular or sound changed reading) from えん (en), from Middle Chinese 院 (MC hjwenH).
The sense "ex-emperor, ex-empress" is an extension of the sense "mansion"; high nobles were not addressed directly, but by using their residence as substitution.


院

(historical) ex-emperor, ex-empress, or someone entitled as equal to emperor or empress in cloister


院

院 (canonical)
-in (romanization)
-win (romanization)
ゐん (hiragana historical)


陶

陶 (canonical)
tō (romanization)
tau (romanization)
たう (hiragana historical)

/tau/ → /tɔː/ → /toː/
From Middle Chinese 陶 (MC daw).


陽

陽 (canonical)
yō (romanization)
yau (romanization)
やう (hiragana historical)


階

（私の）オフィスは五階にあります。

(Watashi no) ofisu wa go-kai ni arimasu.


隕

隕 (canonical)
in (romanization)
ゐん (hiragana historical)


隘

隘路

狭隘


隠

From Middle Chinese 隱 (MC 'j+nX).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

short for 隠岐国 (Oki no kuni, “Oki Province”)


隠

From Middle Chinese 隱 (MC 'j+nX).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.


雛

*/pina/ → /fina/ → /hina/
Appears to be from Old Japanese. The derivative form hiwina (later hīna) appears in The Tale of Genji, dated to before 1021.

diminutive prefix, carrying favorable connotations such as a sense of cuteness

雛霰: a type of 霰 given as an offering to the hina doll on Hina matsuri

雛市: a market selling hina doll and accoutrement for Hina matsuri

雛菓子: sweets given as offering on the 雛壇 at Hina matsuri

雛形尺

a bamboo ruler made to be as long as the width of a bolt of cotton fabric

a type of 蚊帳吊草 native to wet areas in Honshū

雛鑑定器: a chicken tester

雛鑑定器 ひなかんていき

雛鑑別者: a chicken sexer

雛鑑別者 ひなかんべつしゃ

雛桔梗

a type of bluebell or bellflower of the genus Wahlenbergia

雛罌粟, 雛芥子

Papaver rhoeas, the common field or red poppy

the part of an 烏帽子 just below the front peak that protrudes slightly

a short kimono for children up to the age of one

made from one piece of fabric and without a seam up the back

雛段: a special tiered display for hina doll

a similarly tiered platform for kabuki musicians

the tiered seats for minister in the Diet

雛流し, 雛流

letting loose small boats made of paper, ceramic, or other materials and holding hina dolls on rivers or the sea on the night of Hina matsuri

雛の簪

an annual plant of the family Polygalaceae, a type of milkwort

雛の錫杖

an annual flowering plant of family Burmanniaceae

雛の使い

in modern Japan, the act of sending relatives a display of outfitted hina dolls for Hina matsuri

雛欄

an orchid of the genus Amitostigma, native to East Asia

初生雛

a newly hatched chick that has just started eating

後の雛

the counterpart to Hina Matsuri, held on the ninth day of the ninth month in the old lunar calendar

初雛: a girl's first springtime seasonal celebration

the hina dolls set out as decoration at such a time


雲

雲は竜に従い風は虎に従う

kumo wa ryū ni shitagai kaze wa tora ni shitagau

⟨kumo₁⟩ → */kumʷo/ → /kumo/
From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *kumo.
First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.

(by extension) of how clouds are high above in the sky:

a person or object of higher rank or status

(by extension) the smoke during cremation that is thought to be the soul of the deceased person ascending into the heavens


雷

Originally a compound of 神(かみ) (kami, “god, spirit”) + 鳴(な)り (nari, 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 鳴(な)る (naru)).

雷が落ちる

thunder comes down → to be scold severely by a superior, to be rip a new one

1999 February 4, “サンダー・キッズ [Thunder Kid]”, in Vol.1, Konami:

He stores lightning inside his body. He’s very dangerous when he cries.

雷をからだの中に蓄電させている。泣かせたときは危険。

Kaminari o karada no naka ni chikuden saseteiru. Nakaseta toki wa kiken.

1999 March 1, “エレキッズ [Elekid]”, in BOOSTER 1, Konami:

It has a surprisingly powerful lightning attack. However, its electrocution tends to be underestimated.

雷攻撃は意外と強い。甘く見ると感電するぞ。

Kaminarikōgeki wa igai to tsuyoi. Amaku miru to kanden suru zo.


雷

From Middle Chinese 雷 (MC lwoj).
Compare modern Mandarin 雷 (léi) and Cantonese 雷 (leoi⁴).


露

(historical, colloquial) synonym of 豆板銀 (mameitagin) a lump of silver used as currency in the Edo period


露

From Middle Chinese 露 (MC luH).
; “Russia”
Short-form of ateji (当て字) spelling 露西亜.


静

From Middle Chinese 靜 (MC dzjengX). The kan'on, so a later borrowing than the jō reading.
First attested as a standalone noun in a text from 1648.

静と動


静

静 (canonical)
jō (romanization)
zyau (romanization)
じやう (hiragana historical)

/d͡ʑʲau/ → /d͡ʑɔː/ → /d͡ʑoː/
From Middle Chinese 靜 (MC dzjengX). The goon, so an earlier borrowing than the sei reading.
First attested as a standalone noun in a text from roughly 1216.

(Buddhism) equanimity, upekkhā, a state untroubled by attachment or aversion