釉薬

Japanese

釉薬 (uwagusuri, yūyaku): a mug with a blue and green glaze.

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
釉	薬
うわ Jinmeiyō	くすり > ぐすり Grade: 3
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
釉藥 (kyūjitai)

Originally a compound of 上 (uwa, “over, on top of”, ancient combining form of modern ue) +‎ 薬 (kusuri, “a chemical, a substance with mystical properties”). The kusuri changes to gusuri as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Alternative forms

• 上薬, 釉

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) うわぐ​すり [ùwágúꜜsùrì] (Nakadaka – [3])
• (Tokyo) うわぐすり [ùwágúsúrí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟ᵝɰᵝa̠ɡɯ̟ᵝsɨᵝɾʲi]

Noun

釉(うわ)薬(ぐすり) • (uwagusuri) 

1. a glaze or enamel applied to ceramics

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
釉	薬
ゆう Jinmeiyō	やく Grade: 3
on’yomi

Alternative spelling
釉藥 (kyūjitai)

From Middle Chinese 釉藥 (*yuw jɨɐk̚).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ゆ​うやく [yúꜜùyàkù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [jɯ̟ᵝːja̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

釉(ゆう)薬(やく) • (yūyaku) ^{←いうやく (iuyaku)?}

1. a glaze or enamel applied to ceramics