いと

Japanese

Etymology 1

Likely from Old Japanese. Attested from at least the mid-ninth century.

Noun

いと (romaji ito)

1. (archaic) a young child, a baby

   Referred to a child of either sex until the late 1700s, after which it was used to refer specifically to a female child.

2. (archaic) a daughter

Prefix

いと (romaji ito)

1. (archaic) affixed to a noun referring to a person, indicating early childhood

Proper noun

いと (romaji Ito)

1. 伊都: A female given name

   Likely derived by extension from the meaning of daughter. The kanji are ateji.

Etymology 2

Reading of various kanji terms.

Adverb

いと (romaji ito)

1. 最, 甚: extremely, considerably
   • 970-999: Utsubo Monogatari (Toshikage)

     父母「いとあやしき子なり。生ひいでんやうを見む」とて [...]

Noun

いと (romaji ito)

1. 意図: intention, aim, design
2. 異図: a treasonous or disloyal plan
3. 糸, 絲: string, thread, line
4. 従兄弟: a cousin
5. 已度: excess

Proper noun

いと (romaji Ito)

1. 怡土: a former county in modern-day Fukuoka Prefecture

Verb

いと + する (transitive, irregular conjugation, romaji ito suru)いとする いと suru

1. 意図: to intend or aim or design to do something
2. 異図: to plan to do something treasonous or disloyal

References

• 1959 May 19 [c. 970-999], Tama Kōno, Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 10: Utsubo Monogatari 1 (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, ISBN 4-000-60010-9: