三

三猿

see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil; three monkeys

三大都市

three major cities (usu. Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya)


三

Borrowing from Mandarin 三 (sān), with the pitch accent different from etymology 1.


三

⟨mi₁⟩ → /mi/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *mi.
Likely an apophonic form of 六 (mu, “six”), compare 四 (yo, “four”) with 八 (ya, “eight”).

一、二、三、四、[…]


三

ja-pos

三(みい) • (mī)

一、二、三、四、五、六、七、八、九、十

hī, fū, mī, yō, itsu, mū, nā, yā, kō, tō

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten


一日三秋

ja-noun

一(いち)日(じつ)三(さん)秋(しゅう) • (ichijitsu sanshū)

一日三秋 (canonical)
ichijitsu sanshū (romanization)

[it͡ɕiʑit͡sɨ sã̠ɰ̃ɕɨː]

Yojijukugo (四字熟語), from 一(いち) (ichi, “one”) + 日(じつ) (jitsu, “day”) + 三(さん) (san, “three”) + 秋(しゅう) (shū, “autumns”).


三角形

ja-noun

三(さん)角(かく)形(けい) or 三(さん)角(かっ)形(けい) • (sankakukei or sankakkei)

三角形 (canonical)
三角形 (canonical)
sankakukei (romanization)
sankakkei (romanization)

[sã̠ŋka̠kɯ̟̊ke̞ː]

[sã̠ŋka̠kɯ̟ke̞ː]


スリーサイズ

Wasei eigo (和製英語; pseudo-anglicism), derived from three + size, equivalent to スリー (surī) + サイズ (saizu).

pseudo-loan

bust/waist/hip measurements; vital statistics


三角関係

三角関係 (canonical)
sankaku kankei (romanization)


三公

(Zhou)

(Han)

(Later Han and later)

(historical, government) three highest-ranking officials in feudal China

(historical, government) three highest-ranking officials in feudal Japan


三塁手

三塁手 (canonical)
sanruishu (romanization)

[sã̠n̺ɾɯ̟iɕɨ]

三塁(さんるい) (sanrui, “third base”) + 手(しゅ) (-shu, “-man; -woman; -er”)

ja-compound

(baseball, softball) a third baseperson; a third baseman; a third basewoman


直角三角形

ja-noun

ちょっかく さんかくけい

直(ちょっ)角(かく)三(さん)角(かく)形(けい) • (chokkaku sankakukei) ^(←ちよくかくさんかくけい (tyokukakusankakukei)?)

直角三角形 (canonical)
chokkaku sankakukei (romanization)
tyokukakusankakukei (romanization)
ちよくかくさんかくけい (hiragana historical)
ちょっかく さんかっけい (alternative hiragana)
chokkaku sankakkei (Rōmaji alternative hiragana)
ちよくかくさんかくけい (alternative hiragana historical)

[t͡ɕo̞k̚ka̠kɯ̟̊ sã̠ŋka̠kɯ̟̊ke̞ː]

[t͡ɕo̞k̚ka̠kɯ̟̊ sã̠ŋka̠kɯ̟ke̞ː]

[t͡ɕo̞k̚ka̠kɯ̟̊ sã̠ŋka̠k̚ke̞ː]

From 直角 (chokkaku, “right angle”) + 三角形 (sankakukei, sankakkei, “triangle”).

af

right-angled triangle
right-angled triangle


三角筋

三角筋 (canonical)
sankakukin (romanization)

[sã̠ŋka̠kɯ̟̊kʲĩɴ]

三角 (“triangular”) + 筋 (“muscle”), calque of New Latin mūsculus deltoīdeus


サード

ja-noun

サード • (sādo)


三国

Three Kingdoms of ancient China: Wei (魏), Shu (蜀 (shǔ)), and Wu (吳 /吴)


七五三

七五三 (canonical)
Shichigosan (romanization)

[ɕi̥t͡ɕiɡo̞sã̠ɴ]

From 七 (shichi, “seven”) + 五 (go, “five”) + 三 (san, “three”). The numbers refer to the ages of the children involved.

af

1989 November 10 [1988 May 25], Fujiko F. Fujio, “第二話 中年はもてる…か？ [Chapter 2: A Middle-Aged Man Can Still Be Attractive… Can't He?]”, in 征地球論 [A Debate over Conquering Earth] (藤子・Ｆ・不二雄 ＳＦ全短編; 3), 2nd edition, volume 3 (fiction), Tokyo: Chuokoronsha, →ISBN, 第三章 中年スーパーマン左江内氏, page 383:

あんた‼なによ その七五三みたいなかっこ‼

Anta‼ Nani yo sono Shichigosan mitai na kakko‼

こどもの日 こどもの日#Japanese

The Japanese festival for children; a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys, held annually on November 15. As Shichigosan is not a national holiday, it is generally observed on the nearest weekend. Similar to こどもの日 (Kodomo no Hi, literally “Children's Day”)


三島

Mishima (a city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan)


三日

Tensening of earlier 三日 (mika); by surface analysis, 三 (mi, “three”) + 日 (ka, “days”, counter for days).

surf

発売まであと3日


三毛猫

三毛 (mike, “calico's fur”) + 猫 (neko, “cat”)


トレイ

Borrowed from English trey. See also エース (ēsu, “ace”), デュース (dyūsu, “deuce”), ケイト (keito, “cater”), シンク (shinku, “cinque”) and サイス (saisu, “sice”).

(dated, gambling, card games) a three/trey


三男

Compound of 三 (“three”) + 男 (“man; male”).


スリー

ja-noun

スリー • (surī)

スリークォーター

three-quarter back, three-quarter delivery


三河

三河 (canonical)
Mikawa (romanization)
Mikafa (romanization)
みかは (hiragana historical)

From the presence of three rivers in the former province: 男(おと)川(がわ) (Otogawa), 豊(とよ)川(かわ) (Toyokawa), and 矢(や)作(はぎ)川(がわ) (Yahagigawa). The name 三川 (Mikawa) is included in the Kojiki.

Mikawa Province, an old province of Japan


三輪車

三輪車 (canonical)
sanrinsha (romanization)

pedicab; tricycle, three-wheeler (any three-wheeled vehicle)


三葉虫

三(さん)葉(よう)虫(ちゅう) • (san'yōchū) ^(←さんえふちゆう (san'efutyuu)?)

三葉虫 (canonical)
san'yōchū (romanization)
san'efutyuu (romanization)
さんえふちゆう (hiragana historical)

[sã̠ɰ̃jo̞ːt͡ɕɨː]


三重水素

三(さん)重(じゅう)水(すい)素(そ) • (sanjūsuiso) ^(←さんぢゆうすいそ (sandyuusuiso)?)

三重水素 (canonical)
sanjūsuiso (romanization)
sandyuusuiso (romanization)
さんぢゆうすいそ (hiragana historical)

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːsɨiso̞]

三 (san, “three”) + 重水素 (jūsuiso, “deuterium”)


三位一体

ja-pos

三(さん)位(み)一(いっ)体(たい) • (Sanmi Ittai) ^(←さんゐいつたい (San'wi Itutai)?)

三位一体 (canonical)
Sanmi Ittai (romanization)
San'wi Itutai (romanization)
さんゐいつたい (hiragana historical)

From 三位 (sanmi, “three rank”) + 一体 (ittai, “one body”). The i reading for 位 changes to mi as an instance of renjō (連声).


三部作

三部作 (canonical)
sanbusaku (romanization)


第三帝国

第三帝国 (canonical)
Daisan Teikoku (romanization)


三角錐

三角錐 (canonical)
sankakusui (romanization)

[sã̠ŋka̠kɯ̟̊sɨi]


三笠

Mikasa (a city in Sorachi, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan)

Mikasa (a train station in Mikasa, Sorachi, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan)

Mikasa (a train station in Karuizawa, Kitasaku district, Nagano Prefecture, Japan)


三次

Miyoshi (a city in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan)


スリーアールズ

ja-noun

スリーアールズ • (surī āruzu)

[sɨɾʲiː a̠ːɾɯ̟zɨ]


三毛

a calico cat's fur, featuring the three colors of white, black, and orange


三六

三六、十八。


トライアスロン

[to̞ɾa̠ia̠sɨɾõ̞ɴ]


三度目の正直

ja-phrase

さんどめ の しょうじき

三(さん)度(ど)目(め)の正(しょう)直(じき) • (sandome no shōjiki)

三度目の正直 (canonical)
sandome no shōjiki (romanization)

third time's a charm
third time's a charm


トリニトロトルエン

[to̞ɾʲiɲ̟ito̞ɾo̞to̞ɾɯ̟ẽ̞ɴ]

Internationalism; see English trinitrotoluene.

ja:トリニトロトルエン


三光

ja-noun

三(さん)光(こう) • (sankō) ^(←さんくゎう (sankwau)?)

三光 (canonical)
sankō (romanization)
sankwau (romanization)
さんくゎう (hiragana historical)

By surface analysis, 三 (“three”) + 光 (“light”), literally “three lights”.


三態

the three states of matter, namely solid, liquid and gas


三原色

三原色 (canonical)
sangenshoku (romanization)

[sã̠ŋɡẽ̞ɰ̃ɕo̞kɯ̟]

Compound of 三 (san, “three”) + 原色 (genshoku, “primary color”).
First cited in a newspaper article from 1905.

compound

Daijisen#Online_search_engines
Kōjien
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Shinmura Izuru


三司

(historical, collective name) synonym of 三公 (sankō): the three national ministers during the Han dynasty

三公

(historical, collective name) the three judicial branches during the Tang dynasty

(historical, collective name) the three institutions responsible for the finances during the Five Dynasties period to the Song dynasty

(historical, collective name) the three highest ministers of the 太政官 (Daijō-kan, “Great Council of State”):

太政大臣 (Daijō-daijin, “chancellor of the realm”)


三将

From 三 (san-, “three; third”) + 将 (shō).

1999 November 20 [1999 August 9], Yumi Hotta with Obata, Takeshi, “第(だい)９(きゅう)局(きょく) 大(たい)将(しょう)・副(ふく)将(しょう)・三(さん)将(しょう) [Game 9: First, Second and Third]”, in ヒカルの碁, 3rd edition, volume 2 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN, page 35:

You’re the second and he’s the third then.

じゃ おまえが副将でコイツが三将な

Ja o-mae ga fukushō de koitsu ga sanshō na

じゃ おまえが副将でコイツが三将な

じゃ おまえが副将でコイツが三将な

じゃ おまえが副将でコイツが三将な

じゃ おまえが副将でコイツが三将な

a "third", the third highest-ranking member of a sport team, generally the third strongest member of a team of four or more, or the weakest of a trio


三女

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑo̞]

Compound of 三 (“three”) + 女 (“woman; female”).


トライアングルラブ

Wasei eigo (和製英語; pseudo-anglicism), derived from triangle + love.


三戸

the three pairs of head orifices (eye sockets, nostrils, earholes)


三省

(history, government, of feudal China) the Three Departments (中書省, 門下省 and 尚書省)


三頭筋

三頭 (“three heads”) + 筋 (“muscle”), calque of New Latin mūsculus triceps


上腕三頭筋

ja-noun

じょうわん さんとうきん

ぢゃうわん さんとうきん

上(じょう)腕(わん)三(さん)頭(とう)筋(きん) • (jōwan santōkin) ^(←ぢゃうわんさんとうきん (dyauwan santoukin)?)

上腕三頭筋 (canonical)
jōwan santōkin (romanization)
dyauwan santoukin (romanization)
ぢゃうわんさんとうきん (hiragana historical)

上腕 (jōwan, “upper arm”) + 三頭筋 (santōkin, “triceps muscle”), calque of New Latin mūsculus triceps brāchiī

af

しょうわんさんとうきん'

cal

しょうわんさんとうきん'


下腿三頭筋

ja-noun

下(か)腿(たい)三(さん)頭(とう)筋(きん) • (katai santōkin)

下腿三頭筋 (canonical)
katai santōkin (romanization)

下腿 (“lower leg”) + 三頭筋 (“triceps muscle”), calque of New Latin mūsculus triceps sūrae


第三腓骨筋

ja-noun

第(だい)三(さん)腓(ひ)骨(こつ)筋(きん) • (daisan hikotsukin)

第三腓骨筋 (canonical)
daisan hikotsukin (romanization)

第三 (“third”) + 腓骨筋 (“peroneus muscle”), calque of New Latin mūsculus peroneus tertius


三種の神器

ja-pos

^さんしゅ の ^じんぎ

三(さん)種(しゅ)の神(じん)器(ぎ) • (Sanshu no Jingi)

三種の神器 (canonical)
Sanshu no Jingi (romanization)

[sã̠ɰ̃ɕɨ no̞ d͡ʑĩŋʲɡʲi]

三種 (“three kinds”) + の (counter-noun connector) + 神器 (“divine instrument”)

af

八尺瓊勾玉 八尺瓊勾玉#Japanese

(Japanese mythology) the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan (three treasures of the imperial family, bestowed by 天照 (Amaterasu) upon her grandson 瓊瓊杵 (Ninigi) before he descended to the mortal realm, including the bead 八尺瓊勾玉 (Yasakani no Magatama), the sword 草薙剣 (Kusanagi no Tsurugi) and the mirror 八咫鏡 (Yata no Kagami))


三次元

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑiɡẽ̞ɴ]


三角柱

三角柱 (canonical)
sankakuchū (romanization)

[sã̠ŋka̠kɯ̟t͡ɕɨː]

三 (san, “three”) + 角柱 (kakuchū, “prism”)


三猿

ja-noun

三(さん)猿(えん) • (san'en) ^(←さんゑん (san'wen)?)

三猿 (canonical)
san'en (romanization)
san'wen (romanization)
さんゑん (hiragana historical)

三猿主義

the three monkeys (the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkeys)


三年

Japanese educational system
Lower secondary school
secondary school

三年ぶりに回る。

(figurative) a long period of time, several years


三年

三(み) (mi, “three”) + 年(とせ) (-tose, “year”)

ja-compound

あらたまの年の三とせを待ちわびてただ

a. 10th century, 伊勢物語 (The Tales of Ise), volume 24

We have been waiting impatiently for year three to arrive

Aratama no toshi no mitose o machiwabiteta da


三色菫

ja-noun

三(さん)色(しき)菫(すみれ) or 三色菫(サンシキスミレ) • (sanshiki sumire)

三色菫 (canonical)
三色菫 (canonical)
sanshiki sumire (romanization)

Literally, “three colour violet”, 三色(さんしき) (sanshiki, “three colour”) + 菫(すみれ) (sumire, “violet”)

ja-compound

Viola tricolor
Viola tricolor#Translingual

wild pansy, love-in-idleness, Viola tricolor