アイス
Japanese edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from English ice.[1][2]
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
- ice
- sorbet, ice pop; ice cream
- (slang, archaic, c. mid-late Meiji period) loan shark, usurer
- Synonym: 高利貸し (kōrigashi)
Usage notes edit
In the sense of usurer, this word emerged as a play on words, as 高利貸し (kōrigashi, “usurer”, literally “high-interest lender”) and 氷菓子 (kōrigashi, “ice pop”, literally “frozen dessert”) have the same readings. This led to usurers being referred to as アイスキャンディー (aisukyandī, “ice pop”, literally “ice candy”), shortened to just アイス (aisu).[1][2]