伽羅

韓(から) (Kara, “Korea”), by extension of the Gaya confederacy to the entire Korean peninsula
- 漢(から) (Kara, “(Han dynasty) China”), by extension of the Korean peninsula further to the Chinese mainland
- 唐(から) (Kara, “(Tang dynasty) China”)
  - 唐(から) (kara, “foreign lands”, in general), by extension of "China"

Etymology 2 edit

Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:

伽羅 (沈香) (aromatic tree)

Wikipedia ^ja

English Wikipedia has an article on:

Agarwood

Wikipedia

伽羅 (kyara): agarwood.

Kanji in this term
伽	羅
きゃ Jinmeiyō	ら Grade: S
goon

There are two leading theories, both deriving from Middle Chinese 伽羅 (MC gja la):

From the first two syllables of 伽羅阿伽嚧 (MC gja la 'a gja lu), a phonetic rendering of Sanskrit कालागुरु (kālāguru), referring to a kind of fragrant black (kālā) agarwood tree (aguru) used for incense.^[2]^[4]
From the last two syllables of 多伽羅 (MC ta gja la), a phonetic rendering of Sanskrit तगर (tagara), referring to Tabernaemontana coronaria (pinwheel flower or crepe jasmine) or a fragrant powder made from the plant.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Pronunciation edit

(Tokyo) きゃら [kyáꜜrà] (Atamadaka – [1])^[3]
(Tokyo) きゃら [kyàrá] (Heiban – [0])^[3]
IPA^(key): [kʲa̠ɾa̠]

Noun edit

伽(きゃ)羅(ら) • (kyara)

Short for 伽羅木 (kyaraboku): a Japanese yew variety, Taxus cuspidata var. nana
an aromatic tree
incense, especially when made from such aromatic wood
(by extension) something of high quality, a rarity, a luxury
(historical slang, obsolete) during the Edo period, a red-light district slang word for "money"
flattery, sycophancy

Derived terms edit

Derived terms

伽羅(きゃら)色(いろ) (kyarairo, “dark reddish brown color”)
伽羅(きゃら)柿(がき) (kyaragaki): a variety of persimmon noted for its darker skin and sweeter taste
伽羅(きゃら)臭(くさ)い (kyarakusai, “ostentatious, showy, overdone”)
伽羅(きゃら)細(ざい)工(く) (kyara zaiku): fine woodwork created using aromatic woods
伽羅(きゃら)代(だい) (kyara dai): in the Edo period, a red-light district slang term for money, especially the fee paid to an entertainer or prostitute
伽羅(きゃら)の油(あぶら) (kyara no abura): a kind of pomade or hair oil made from sesame oil, plant resins, and cloves
伽羅(きゃら)の御(おん)方(かた) (kyara no onkata, “one's legal wife”)
伽羅(きゃら)の木(き) (kyara no ki, “Japanese yew”)
伽羅(きゃら)の字(じ) (kyara no ji): in the Edo period, a red-light district slang term for money, especially the fee paid to an entertainer or prostitute
伽羅(きゃら)の枕(まくら) (kyara no makura): a wooden headrest with a drawer for burning incense
伽羅(きゃら)冷(ひやし) (kyara hiyashi): a kind of tin urn or tin-plated box, partially filled with water, over which agarwood incense is placed; used in summer
伽羅(きゃら)蕗(ぶき) (kyarabuki): butterbur stems simmered in soy sauce until dark reddish brown
伽羅(きゃら)木(ぼく) (kyaraboku, “Japanese yew”)
伽羅(きゃら)枕(まくら) (kyara makura): a wooden headrest with a drawer for burning incense
伽羅(きゃら)女(め) (kyarame, “beautiful woman”, slang)
伽羅(きゃら)者(もの) (kyaramono): a flatterer; an amiable or sociable person who is quick to compliment others

Idioms edit

Idioms

伽羅(きゃら)で作(つく)った仏(ほとけ)同然(どうぜん) (kyara de tsukutta hotoke dōzen): “just like a Buddha statue made from agarwood” → agarwood only smells nice when burned, so making a statue out of agarwood is pointless: something or someone of high value, but that turns out to be useless
伽羅(きゃら)を言(い)う (kyara o iu): “to speak incense” → to flatter, to say nice things to flatter or ingratiate someone
伽羅(きゃら)の仏(ほとけ)に箔(はく)置(お)く (kyara no hotoke ni haku oku): “to put gold foil on an agarwood Buddha” → “to put the icing on the cake”: adding something good on top of something that is already good
伽羅(きゃら)も焚(た)かず屁(へ)もこかず (kyara mo takazu he mo kokazu): “not even burning incense, not even passing gas” → neither here nor there, neither good nor bad

Coordinate terms edit

木(き)所(どころ) (kidokoro): 伽羅(きゃら) (kyara), 羅(ら)国(こく) (rakoku), 真南蛮(まなばん) (manaban), 真那伽(まなか) (manaka), 佐曽羅(さそら) (sasora), 寸門多羅(すもたら) (sumotara)

References edit

^ Christopher I. Beckwith (2009) Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 105: “The spelling Kaya is the modern Korean reading of the characters used to write the name; the pronunciation /kara/ (transcriptionally *kala) is certain.”
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[1] Christopher I. Beckwith (2009) Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 105: “The spelling Kaya is the modern Korean reading of the characters used to write the name; the pronunciation /kara/ (transcriptionally *kala) is certain.”

[KDJ-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJR-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DJS-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

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