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

/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).


間

Alternative spelling of 閑 (kan, “free time”)


間

二時

二時間

二時五分

五分(間) ― go-fun (kan) ― five minutes

二日

二日(間) ― futsuka (kan) ― two days

suffixes some expressions of time to tell duration rather than time or date


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.

朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国#Japanese

Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Short for 朝鮮 (Chōsen): Korea, specifically short for 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 (Chōsen Minshu Shugi Jinmin Kyōwakoku): Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)


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


水

/ɕuwi/ → */suwi/ → /sui/
From Middle Chinese 水 (MC sywijX).
Compare modern Mandarin 水 (shuǐ), modern Hakka 水 (súi).


米

Second grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


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

/itʉ/ → /it͡sʉ/ → /it͡su/
From Middle Chinese 一 (ʔiɪt̚).


損

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

損を抱える


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).


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
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki
ja:松村明

From Old Japanese. First cited to the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE. From Proto-Japonic *katana.
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.

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.

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


心

心 (canonical)
心 (canonical)
Kokoro (romanization)

⟨ko₂ko₂ro₂⟩ → */kəkərə/ → /kokoro/
From Old Japanese 心 (ko₂ko₂ro₂), ultimately from Proto-Japonic *kəkərə. First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.
Compare Okinawan 心 (kukuru).


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)

/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).


南

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


東

ja-pos

東(とう) • (Tō)


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

⟨pi₂⟩ → */pʷɨ/ → /ɸi/ → /hi/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *poy.
Apophonic form of ho (see below). Compare 木 (ki, ko-, “tree”).

in which sinner are transported: a metaphor for being in a difficult situation

篝火: a fire set in an iron cage-like bucket and used as illumination by guard

火を見るよりも明らか

clear than see the fire → as plain as day, as plain as the nose on one's face, as clear as a bell


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)

Short for 中学生 (chūgakusei): junior high school student


雨

⟨ame₂⟩ → */aməɨ/ → /ame/
From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *amay.
Cognate with 天 (ame, unbound apophonic of ama, “sky”), as in the location of clouds where water precipitates from.

一雨ごとに春が来る

(figurative) something falling like rain


雨

(figuratively) something falling like rain


下

⟨simo₁⟩ → /simʷo/ → /ɕimo/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *simo.

下一段活用

下一段活用 しもいちだんかつよう

下二段活用

下二段活用 しもにだんかつよう

(euphemistic) feces and urine, excrement


下

同意のもと、[…]


丸

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


乾

乾 (canonical)
Inui (romanization)
i'nwi (romanization)
いぬゐ (hiragana historical)

From 戌(いぬ) (inu, “10 o'clock direction”) + 亥(い) (i, “11 o'clock direction”).
Orthographic borrowing from Chinese 乾 /干 (“northwest”, Etymology 2).


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.

a 家紋 (kamon, “family crest”) with various designs of tortoises


京

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

京言葉 (kyōkotoba)

京料理 (kyōryōri, literally “Kyōto cuisine”)

京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ

Spend Your Money on Fashion in Kyoto, eat till you’re broke in Osaka

Short for 京都 (Kyōto, “Kyōto (a city in Kyōto, Japan)”).


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)
tsue (romanization)
twe (romanization)
つゑ (hiragana historical)

Alternative spelling of 杖 (tsue). See that entry for details.

Alternative spelling of 杖 (“a cane, a crook, a walking stick”)


仗

ja-noun

仗(つわもの) • (tsuwamono) ^(←つはもの (tufamono)?)

仗 (canonical)
tsuwamono (romanization)
tufamono (romanization)
つはもの (hiragana historical)

Alternative spelling of 兵 (tsuwamono). See that entry for details.

Alternative spelling of 兵 (“weaponry; a soldier, a warrior; a courageous person, a brave; someone who is very confident, even obstinate”)


仗

仗 (canonical)
mawari (romanization)
mafari (romanization)
まはり (hiragana historical)

Alternative spelling of 回り, 周り, 廻り (mawari). See those entries for details.

Alternative spelling of 回り, etc.: surroundings; around; turning


仗

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

From Middle Chinese 仗. Compare modern Mandarin 仗 (zhàng).

a special imperial flag marking occasions of special dignity

仗議, 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

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


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


令

令 (canonical)
Ryō (romanization)
Ryau (romanization)
りやう (hiragana historical)

/rjau/ → /rjɔː/ → /rjoː/
From Middle Chinese 令 (MC ljeng), 令 (MC ljengH), or 令 (MC lengH).


会

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

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

会を催す

会に出る

会を組織する

会に入る

会を脱退する

会から抜ける


会

会 (canonical)
-kai (romanization)
-kwai (romanization)
くわい (hiragana historical)


会

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

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

図会

Alternative form of 絵 (e, “picture; drawing; painting”)


伯

Short for ブラジル／伯剌西爾 (Burajiru, “Brazil (a country)”).


位

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


佚

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


依

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

依然


依

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

⟨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

Nominalization of the verb 光る (hikaru, “to shine, to glitter, to gleam”).


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.

料理のうちに入らない

does not count as cooking(literally, “does not enter the inside of cooking”)

謝った内に入らない

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


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

/si/ → /ɕi/
From Middle Chinese 刺 (MC tshjeH).


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”).


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


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).

(Zen Buddhism) a gathering of Zen members in meditation, preaching, and invocation


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

味 (canonical)
aji (romanization)
adi (romanization)
あぢ (hiragana historical)

/adi/ → /ad͡ʑi/ → /aʑi/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *anti.

2006 April 9, Nobuhiro Watsuki, “武(ブ)装(ソウ)錬(レン)金(キン)ピリオド [Armed Alchemy: The End]”, in 武(ブ)装(ソウ)錬(レン)金(キン) [Armed Alchemy], volume 10, Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN:

You want some? It has my mom’s taste. Well, actually it has the taste of my failed attempts at cloning her taste.

食べる？ママの味 正確にはママの出来損ないの成れの果ての味

Taberu? Mama no aji Seikaku ni wa mama no dekisokonai no nare no hate no aji

(go) bad aji, a lingering weakness in a position


味

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

Alternative spelling of 身 (mi): body part


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.)”)


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).


器

From Middle Chinese 器 (khijᴴ, “vessel; instrument”).


器

印字器: a printer

a smaller device, such as a handheld number and letter puncher


回

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

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


回

回 (canonical)
-kai (romanization)
-kwai (romanization)
くわい (hiragana historical)

一回生

(Kansai) indicating year of university students


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).


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.


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

Short for 壱岐国 (Iki no kuni, “Iki Province”).


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. 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


央

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

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


央

ja-pos

央(よう) • (Yō)


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


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”).


婿

*/moko/ → ⟨mo₍₁₎ko₁⟩ → */mʷokʷo/ → /moko/
From other Old Japanese dialects besides Central Old Japanese, with a conserved */o/ as ⟨o₁⟩.
Possibly cognate or otherwise related with Old Japanese もこ (mo₁ko₁, “companion, fellow”).

聟 毛古、又加太支

(dialectal, Tōhoku, Northern Kantō, Niigata, Nagano, Chūgoku, etc.) Nonstandard form of むこ (muko) above


媛

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


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


完

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


官

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


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)
yoi (romanization)
yofi (romanization)
よひ (hiragana historical)

⟨yo₂pi₁⟩ → */jəpʲi/ → /joɸi/ → /jowi/ → /joi/
From Old Japanese.
Appears to be derived from a compound, the initial yo is likely from a y- stem cognate with 夕 (yū, “evening”), while the final i is likely from 日 (hi, “day”).

the hours after sunset until midnight, collectively: dusk, evening, and night


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

/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).


尉

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

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


尚

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


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

suffix for a temple's honorific mountain name (山号 (sangō))


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

Mi. ミ (巳) 例, Minotoqi (巳の時) 午前八時から十時まで.
Mi. Example: Minotoki (time of the Snake). A time from 8 AM to 10 AM.


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).

a curtain or hanging that covers all sides


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”).

高度経済成長の影

the negative aspect of the high economic growth


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”).


御

The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation

w:ja:日本漢字能力検定協会

an honorific prefix, indicates respect, your


応

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

respond, reply, answer (a question, call, etc.)


応

(rare) an acceptance, admittance, agreement, consent


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


所

Kojiki
Kyūjitai
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Shinjitai

⟨to₂ko₂ro₂⟩ → /tokoro/
From Old Japanese. First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE. From Proto-Japonic *təkərə. Likely cognate with 床 (toko, “raised area; bed”).
A surface analysis suggests that this could be an ancient compound of ⟨to₁⟩ (Proto-Japonic *to (“place”), as in 跡 ⟨ato₁⟩, “footprint, track”, from “foot place, where one has stepped”) + ⟨ko₂⟩ (noun-forming suffixing element denoting “place”, as in ここ ⟨ko₂ko₂⟩, “here”, from “this place”) + ⟨ro₂⟩ (noun-forming suffixing element, apparently indicating within a general area, possibly as in 心 ⟨ko₂ko₂ro₂⟩, “heart, mind, emotions”, 頃 ⟨ko₂ro₂⟩, “general span of time, around a certain time”, うつろ ⟨uturo₂⟩, “hollowness, empty interior”).

現在のところ対応しておりません

(At the) present's time, compatability being done is not available.

a figurative place that facilitates or promotes something; a point in time or state of affairs

調べたところ何も見つからなかった。

Shirabeta tokoro nanimo mitsukaranakatta.

(after a verb in the past tense) at that point in time, upon

a state of being
at that point in time, upon

望むところだ。

Just what I wanted. (said in response to an opponent's proposed challenge)

己の欲せざる所、人に施すこと勿れ

Onore no hossezaru tokoro, hito ni hodokosu koto nakare

What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others (kundoku form of 己所不欲，勿施於人)

(literary, calque of Literary Chinese 所 (suǒ)) Attaches to verbs to form noun phrases, meaning the object of that verb.


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)


擁

ja-pos

擁(よう) • (yō)


支

w:ja:日本漢字能力検定協会

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


支

1923, 在米國華盛頓州シアトル市米國西北部聯絡日本人會, 米國西北部在留日本人發展略史 (Beikoku Seihoku-bu Zairyū Nihonjin Hatten Ryakushi) [A Brief History of the Development of the Resident Japanese in the Northwest of America], page 4:

Statistics for the distribution of the Japanese and Chinese population

日支人々口分布統計

人々口分 じんじんこうぶん

1945, Hirohito, Hirohito surrender broadcast:

朕ハ帝國政府ヲシテ米英支蘇四國ニ對シ其ノ共同宣言ヲ受諾スル旨通告セシメタリ

Chin wa teikoku seifu o shite bei ei shi so shikoku ni taishi sono kyōdō sengen o judaku suru mune tsūkoku seshimetari

We have ordered our government to communicate to the governments of the United States, Great Britain, China and the Soviet Union that our empire accepts the provisions of their joint declaration.


改

Fourth grade kyōiku kanji (romanization)


改

チヌ改

装輪装甲車（改）

装輪装甲車 そうりんそうこうしゃ


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

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


旱

/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”).

der

(Buddhism) knowledge or wisdom that dispels the darkness of ignorance and brings to the realization of truth; enlightenment


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

From Middle Chinese 星 (MC seng).
The Singapore sense derives from the pre-World War Two kanji spelling 星加坡 (modern kanji spelling 新加坡) as borrowed from Chinese, itself a transliteration of Malay Singapura.


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

w:ja:日本漢字能力検定協会


期

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


李

李 (canonical)
李 (canonical)
sumomo (romanization)

Compound of 酸 (su, “vinegar; sour”) + 桃 (momo, “peach”).


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).


来

a surname, especially of those descended from swordsmiths arriving from Goryeo around the mid-Kamakura period


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).

martial art involving gentleness, such as jujitsu or judo


柔

柔 (canonical)
nyū (romanization)
niu (romanization)
にう (hiragana historical)

/nɨu/ → /ɲuː/
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

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).


梅

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).


梓

梓 (canonical)
Azusa (romanization)
Adusa (romanization)
あづさ (hiragana historical)

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


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

<templatestyles src="Module:interproject/style.css" />
<templatestyles src="Module:interproject/style.css" />

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)


楷

regular script: a style of Chinese characters that is square and straight-lined


模

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


横

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *yəkə. Cognate with Kunigami 横 (ゆく゚ー, yukū), Miyako 横 (ゆく, yuku), Northern Amami Ōshima 横 (ゆく゚, yuxu), Okinawan 横 (ゆく, yuku), Yaeyama 横 (ゆく, yuku), Yonaguni 横 (どぅぐ, dugu).

2007, Asakura Hitoshi, Hiden: Sansū ga dekiru ko ni naru [Secret recipe: Be able to do mathematics], page 11:

Half the circumference of a circle is ‘diameter x 3.14 ÷ 2’, and ‘diameter ÷ 2’ is the radius, so the length of the horizontal is ‘radius x 3.14’.

円周の半分の長さは「直径 × 3.14 ÷ 2 」で、「直径 ÷ 2 」は半径と同じですから、横の長さは「半径 × 3.14 」ということになります。

Enshū no hanbun no nagasa wa “chokkei kakeru 3 14 waru 2 ” de, “chokkei waru 2 ” wa hankei to onaji desu kara, yoko no nagasa wa “hankei kakeru 3 14 ” to iu koto ni narimasu.

2014, Masanobu Takahara, ? ni kotaeru! Shōgaku sansū [Answer to ?s! Elementary maths], page 331:

Draw a rectangle with a 20cm circumference. (1) Find the possible values for length and width. Write the numbers in the chart below.

まわりの長さが20cmの長方形をかきます。（１）縦と横の長さをまとめます。下の表にあてはまる数を書きましょう。

Mawari no nagasa ga 20cm no chōhōkei o kakimasu. (１) Tate to yoko no nagasa o matomemasu. Shita no hyō ni ate wa maru su o kakimashō.

2022 April 7, “W, D, H tate yoko takasa no hyōki hōhō ‘zumen de tsukaeru’ [How to use W, D, H to express depth, width, and height in diagrams]”, in Rikei shikaku no kyōshitsu:

W indicates horizontal width, D length (from front to back), and H height of items. Below we explain how to use W, D, and H to indicate width, depth, and height.

ものの横幅がW、縦（奥行き）がD、高さがHとなっています。ではなぜ横、縦、高さの記号はW・D・Hで記載されるのか、以下で解説します。

Mono no yokohaba ga W, tate (okuyuki) ga D, takasa ga H to natteimasu. De wa naze yoko, tate, takasa no kigō wa W D H de kisai sareru no ka, ika de kaisetsu shimasu.


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


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)”).


欧

ヨーロッパ ヨーロッパ#Japanese


款

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


歓

歓 (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


歩

in measuring 町 (chō, “block”), 段 (tan, “300 bu/tsubo”), etc., indicates no decimal points added; compare English even, precisely


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

残業、残金、残飯、残骸、残念

overtime work; remaining money; leftover food; wreckage; regret

残欠、残品

残酷、残虐、残忍


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.


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).


民

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


氓

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”).

(slang) inescapable pit of addiction to 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).


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”


濃

ja-pos

濃(のう) • (nō)


灯

counter for 電灯 (dentō, “electric lights”)


灯

灯(とう) • (tō)


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)

Short for 煤色 (susuiro): a shade of black as in the color of soot


煤

From Middle Chinese 煤 (MC mwoj). Compare modern Min Nan reading bôe.


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).


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

物 (canonical)
物 (canonical)
-mono (romanization)

⟨mo₂no₂⟩ → ⟨mono₂⟩ → /mono/
From Old Japanese. Attested in the Kojiki. Ultimately from Proto-Japonic *mənə.

密室モノ

探偵もののドラマ

冒険ものです。


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).

越王勾践 ― Etsuō Kōsen ― King Goujian of Yue

a king, especially one who is not East Asian or was East Asian in pre-imperial times; in China and Vietnam, generally a king before Qin Shi Huangdi who invented the title 皇帝 (kōtei, “huangdi; emperor”); in Korea, one of the many kings before the Korean Empire which was modeled after Japan's; in Japan, one of the rulers before Emperor Jinmu

親魏倭王 ― Shingi Waō ― the pro-Wei Queen of Wa

徴(女)王 ― Chō (Jo)ō ― the Trưng Queen

善徳(女)王 ― Zentoku (Jo)ō ― Queen Seondeok

武成王

興道王 ― Kōdō Ō ― Prince Hưng Đạo

a nobility title for a Chinese or Vietnamese prince, bestowed on one of the 皇帝 (kōtei, “huangdi; emperor”)'s adult sons, brothers, or nephews, especially as a coming-of-age title, generally comes with an estate ("principality"); compare 皇子 (ōji, “imperial princes”, especially pre-adult ones) and 公 (kō, “dukes”, an alternative used by certain dynasties)

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.

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).

瓦斯 (gasu): gas


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/).


疣

Daijirin
Shōwa period
Skin tag
Wart
ja:疣

A contraction of Old Japanese-derived 飯粒 (ihibo, modern reading ībo, literally “rice grain”), from the way that a wart or skin tag may look like a grain of rice.

疣の木

Ligustrum obtusifolium, a kind of privet tree

疣石: → a stone believed to have the power to cure warts

疣金物: → a metal plate into which numerous round-headed rivet have been driven

疣細螺

a kind of marine snail in family Trochidae

a type of flowering plant related to the dayflower

疣仙人掌: → general name for cactus plants of genus Mammillaria

疣地蔵: → a jizō statue believed to have the power to cure warts

疣毟巻: → a women's hairstyle popular among rural women until the early Shōwa period

so named for a resemblance to the praying mantis

疣背: → alternate for 疣鯛

wart perch, Japanese butterfish; wartback

疣辛螺: Reishia clavigera (syn. Thais clavigera, a kind of predatory marine snail

疣目

a callus, a hardening of the skin due to repeated rubbing or pressure

疣海楊

a kind of sea fan, a member of order Alcyonacea, formerly classed under order Gorgonacea

a small protrusion of the skin: a wart, a verruca, a skin tag

a wart-like protrusion on the surface of something


疣

Unknown. Possibly an extension of the nominalized continuative form tari of Old Japanese-derived verb 垂る (taru, “to hang down, to hang off of”, superseded by modern 垂れる tareru).
Appears with this reading in the 新選字鏡 (Shinsen Jikyō) Japanese dictionary of Chinese, compiled in 898-901.

(obsolete, rare) a small protrusion of the skin: a wart, a verruca, a skin tag


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”).


的

From Middle Chinese 的 (MC tek, literally “mark in a target, bright”).

Alternative spelling of 敵: (rare) enemy, opponent


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.

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


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 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”).
* From wataku + si: no such word wataku appears to exist.
* From wa + ta + ku + si: 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

(women's speech, obsolete) a brother-in-law


移

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


竜

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


籠

Appears to be derived from a compound of an uncertain element ka and 籠 (ko) below, with ko changing to go as an instance of rendaku (連濁).


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).

Synonym of 無患子 (mukuroji, “Indian soapberry (Sapindus mukoross)”)

無患子

Synonym of 螺 (tsubu, “pond snail”, now dialectal)


粒

(historical, Edo period) used to count 一分金 (ichibukin, “a currency equivalent to 1/4 of a 両 (ryō)”)


粒

Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki

From Old Japanese 粒 (tubi₂), itself attested since the Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki of 794:
*
数其滴 古経為_二字_一滴音宅、訓都飛
The number of those drops; in the old Buddhist sutras, the character 滴 (dī) meaning "drop" is to be read something like tek^([sic]); the native Japanese reading for this word is tubi₂.
This word, along with 粒 (tsubu), must have been derived from a source cognate to つぶら (tsubura, “the state of being round and small”, obsolete).

ux

数其滴 古経為_二字_一滴音宅、訓都飛

The number of those drops; in the old Buddhist sutras, the character <i class="Hani mention" lang="zh">滴</i> (dī) meaning "drop" is to be read something like tek^(􂐵sic􂐶); the native Japanese reading for this word is tubi₂.

(obsolete) Synonym of 粒 (tsubu, “something round and small, etc.”)


紀

ジュラ紀


紅

ja-pos

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

*/peni/ → /beni/
First attested in The Pillow Book, completed in 1002.
Shift from *heni, attested in the Wamyō Ruijushō (938 CE) with the original sense of "rouge".
The ni is definitely 丹 (ni, “red earth, cinnabar”), while the initial pe/be remains uncertain.


紅

Alternative spelling for 赤 (aka, “red”).


紅

From 揉み (momi, “kneading”, stem form of verb momu), by extension from the kneading of cloth during the dyeing process.


紅

ja-pos

紅(こう) • (Kō)


紙

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

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

(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))


耀

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


而

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


聖

(euphemistic) alternate name for 清酒 (seishu, “refined sake”)


聖

(Brazil) Short for 聖州 (“São Paulo (a state of Brazil)”). or Short for 聖市 (“São Paulo (a municipality, the state capital of São Paulo, Brazil)”).


聡

ja-pos

聡(そう) • (sō)


肖

肖(しょう) • (shō)


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”).


膿

膿(のう) • (nō)


膿

ja-noun

膿(のう) • (nō)


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

/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

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

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

(obsolete) old name for karamushi: the ramie plant, Boehmeria nivea var. nipononivea


英

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

Short for 英吉利 (Igirisu, “United Kingdom”).


英

Short for 英語 (eigo, “English (language)”).


菅

菅 (canonical)
Kan (romanization)
Kwan (romanization)
くわん (hiragana historical)

/kʷan/ → /kan/
From Middle Chinese 菅 (MC kaen).


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 (ʔˠiɪmᴴ) 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.


薩

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

Short for 薩摩 (Satsuma, “Satsuma (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)


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)


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”).


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)
ei (romanization)
ゑい (hiragana historical)

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


衛

衛 (canonical)
Ei (romanization)
ゑい (hiragana historical)


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/.


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


貨

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


越

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

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


踊

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

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)

Japanese_language Kyūjitai Shinjitai Tōkyō Ōsaka


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


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.

something fallen, something lost or left behind


遺

leave behind after one's death, bequeath


遺

From Middle Chinese 遺 (MC ywij).
The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial 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).

under the 律令 (Ritsuryō) system, defined as equal to 300 歩 (bu) or 1500 尺 (shaku)

from the early modern until the end of the Edo period, defined as equal to 36 町 (chō), approximately between 3.6 to 4.2 kilometers

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

(historical) under the 律令 (Ritsuryō) system, a unit of area for regional administration, equal to 50 戸 (ko, “houses”)


野

Short for 下野国 (Shimotsuke no kuni): Shimotsuke Province


金

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

(shogi) Short for 金将 (kinshō): a gold general


針

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


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

(sports, etc.) Short for 銀メダル (gin medaru): a silver medal

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


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

(zootomy) pincers or claws as found on a crab, lobster, or other arthropod


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).


関

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


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)


阪

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

阪神 (hanshin)

Short for 大阪 (Ōsaka, “Ōsaka (a city in Japan)”).


院

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

(historical) Ex-emperor, ex-empress or entitled as equal-to-emperor/empress in cloister (derived from "mansion"; the high nobles are not addressed directly, but with their residence as substitution)


陰

north side of mountain; south side of water


陶

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

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


陽

Alternative spelling of 日: sun, sunshine


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


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

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


音

*/ʔiəm/ → /əmʉ/ → /omʉ/ → /oɴ/
From Middle Chinese 音 (MC 'im).

(by extension) reading of a Chinese character outside the Japanese language; rime


韻

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

(phonetics) a rhyme group in Chinese rhyme dictionaries, consisting of kanji sharing the same or similar finals


風

Shift from Old Japanese 風 (ti), modern chi, found in some compounds.


風

ja-pos

風(ふう) • (fū)

/puː/ → /fuː/
From Middle Chinese 風 (MC pjuwng).
In Old Japanese, this kanji was used to transcribe the 借音 (shakuon) kana of ⟨pu⟩ and ⟨bu⟩ in the Nihon Shoki (720 CE).


飄

飄 (canonical)
hyō (romanization)
feu (romanization)
へう (hiragana historical)

/peu/ → /ɸeu/ → /hjoː/
From Middle Chinese 飄 (MC phjiew).


飛

Short for 飛騨国 (Hida-no-kuni): Hida Province


飛

(shogi) Abbreviation of 飛車 (hisha): a flying chariot piece, with movement corresponding to the rook in Western chess

飛車

(baseball) Short for 飛球 (hikyū): a fly ball


飲

From Middle Chinese 飲 (MC 'imX|'imH).
The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.


飲

(literary) drinking (alcoholic beverages)


養

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


騎

From Middle Chinese 騎 (MC gje|gjeH). Already used phonetically in Old Japanese to spell unvoiced ki, as in the place name 阿騎・安騎 (Aki, a former hunting ground in Nara).
Attested as a counter in the early 1200s, and as a standalone noun in the late 1800s.


鬱

鬱を克服する


魅

魑魅魍魎

魑魅魍魎 ちみもうりょう


鮮

鮮 (canonical)
sen (romanization)
せん (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 鮮 (MC sjen|sjenX|sjenH).


鳩

鳩 (canonical)
鳩 (canonical)
hato (romanization)

⟨pato₁⟩ → */patʷo/ → /ɸato/ → /hato/
From Old Japanese, appears in the Kojiki of 712 CE. In turn, from Proto-Japonic *pato.
Possibly ultimately from はたはた (hatahata), an onomatopoeia for the sound of a dove or pigeon's wings in flight.

鳩根性: → appearing composed while harboring resentment

鳩酒

an old kind of medicine, wherein a pigeon would be tenderized and the bones broken, then the whole carcass would be covered in sake and miso and stewed, purportedly used to treat back pain and poor circulation in the extremities

鳩派: the dove

proponents of peace; as opposed to the hawk, proponents of war

鳩吹く

to make a dove call; hatofuku, such as by blowing a kind of whistle formed by one's cupped hands

数珠掛鳩

数珠掛鳩 ジュズカケバト

鳩が豆鉄砲を食ったよう

like a pigeon that ate a peashooter → dumbfounded, take by surprise


鳩

鳩 (canonical)
kyū (romanization)
kiu (romanization)
きう (hiragana historical)

/kiu/ → /kʲuː/
From Middle Chinese 鳩 (MC kjuw).

鳩居

pigeon in a magpie's nest; living in a rented house or apartment

鳩首

putting heads together, consulting in a group

(by extension) gather together (from the way that pigeons flock together)


鵲

From Old Japanese, first appears in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE.
Derivation unknown, theories include:
* The initial kasa- may be cognate with or a borrowing from an earlier form of Korean 까치 (kkachi, “magpie”).
* The final -sagi may be a reference to the white chest, alluding to the similar plumage of certain kinds of 鷺 (sagi, “heron, egret”).
* Alternatively, the final -sagi may derive from onomatopoeia, imitative of the bird's call.
* May be a corruption of 烏 (karasu, “crow”) + 鷺 (sagi, “heron, egret”):
*: /karasu saɡi/ → */kasːaɡi/ → /kasasaɡi/
* May be a corruption of カラ (kara, onomatopoeia for cawing, seen in 烏 (karasu), “crow”) + 鷦鷯 (sasagi, “wren”, obsolete):
*: /kara sasaɡi/ → /kasasaɡi/
* May be a corruption of カチカチ (kachikachi, onomatopoeia imitative of the bird's call) + 鷺 (sagi, “heron, egret”):
*: /kat͡ɕikat͡ɕi saɡi/ → */kat̚t͡sasaɡi/ → /kasasaɡi/

(historical) an 鴻 (Ōtori)-class torpedo boat of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II


鶴

Given a crane's long neck and how the bird hunts, possibly related to 蔓 (tsuru, “vine”); 弦 (tsuru, “bowstring; musical instrument string”); 釣る, 吊る (tsuru, “to hang down; to string up; to fish”). Given how cranes flock together, possibly related also to 連る (tsuru), older root form of modern verb 連れる (tsureru, “to accompany”). That said, 連る also appears to ultimately derive from 蔓 (tsuru, “vine”).
Vovin (2008) considers it possibly related to an ancestor of Korean 두루미 (durumi, “crane”), with a root-final -m vanishing later, leaving only a Kansai accent pattern behind. May ultimately be a regional Wanderwort. Compare also Proto-Finno-Ugric *tërka (“crane”), and Proto-Turkic *turunya (“crane”) (whence Turkish turna), Mongolian тогоруу (togoruu, “crane”).
The reading tsuru is first seen used to mean “a crane” from the late Heian period. Prior to that time, the only reading used for the bird was tazu. However, the kanji 鶴 was used in the Man'yōshū (759 CE) as a 借訓 (shakkun) reading for つる (turu → tsuru), the 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) of つ (tu → tsu, auxiliary verb of affirmation, certainty, or completion), suggesting that tsuru may have already existed as an everyday term meaning “a crane”.


麑

(obsolete) Short for 鹿児島／麑島 (Kagoshima, “Kagoshima (a province of Japan)”).


黄

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

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


鼾

From Middle Chinese 鼾 (MC xan|hanH, “snoring”).
Only found in compounds. Not used in isolation.


龍

龍(りゅう) • (Ryū)


び

The hiragana character ひ (hi) with a dakuten (゛).

Hira-dakuten

The hiragana syllable び (bi). Its equivalent in katakana is ビ (bi).


でん

伝: legend, tradition, life, biography, comment, communication


ぼう

昴: one of the 28 traditional Japanese constellations, the Pleiades


らい

来: to come; (prefix) the coming, next; (suffix) since


ふう

封: to seal; to close; to lock up; to enfeoff


げい

芸: art; craft; technique; performance; Short for 安芸国 (Aki no kuni, “Aki Province”).


ぶん

文: a pattern; text; a document; literature; a sentence


わい

(dated or dialectal) A particle used in the end of sentences to indicate admiration or emotion. Slightly stronger than わ (wa).


ねい

寧: (on'yomi, only used in compounds) peaceful, gentle; rather


くち

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of 朽ちる (kuchiru, “to rot”).

朽, 腐: a disease that makes ears of grain rot


もし

From Old Japanese; attested in the Man'yōshū of 759. In turn, reconstructed as deriving from Proto-Japonic *məsi.

もし来られたら来なさい。


ソニック

ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ w:ja:ソニックシリーズ

(video games) Short for ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ (Sonikku za Hejjihoggu): Sonic the Hedgehog (video game series or the titular character)


シビル

Borrowed from English civil. Only found in compounds, not used in isolation.