See also: あいす and あいず

Japanese edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from English ice.[1][2]

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

アイス (aisu

  1. ice
    Synonyms: (kōri), (hi)
  2. sorbet, ice pop; ice cream
    Synonyms: (uncommon) 氷菓子 (kōrigashi), (uncommon) 氷菓 (hyōka)
  3. (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]

References edit

  1. 1.0 1.1 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN