べこ

See also: へこ, へご, and べご

Japanese

Alternative spelling
牛

Etymology

First attested in the late 18th century.^[1]

This appears to be cognate with Ainu ペコ (peko).^[2] However, it is not clear if the Japanese term was borrowed from Ainu, or if the Ainu term was borrowed from Japanese.

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “Onomatopoeic べ (be, onomatopoeic for mooing) +‎ 子 (-ko, diminuative suffix)?”

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) べこ [béꜜkò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[3]
IPA^(key): [be̞ko̞]

Noun

べこ or ベコ • (beko)

(dialect, Tōhoku) a cow
Synonym: (variation more common further north) べご (bego)
- 1984, Yoshi Ikuzō (lyrics and music), “Ora Tōkyō sa Igu da [I'm Goin' to Tokyo]”, performed by Yoshi Ikuzō:
  
  東(とう)京(きょう)へ出(で)だなら　銭(ぜに)コア貯(た)めで　東(とう)京(きょう)で牛(ベコ)飼(か)うだ
  Tōkyō e deda nara zenikoa tamede Tōkyō de beko kau da
  If I go out to Tokyo, I'd save up my money and get myself a cow there!

Derived terms

赤(あか)べこ (akabeko)

References

^ “べこ”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000
^ John Batchelor (1905) An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language)‎^[2], Tokyo, London: Methodist Publishing House; Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner Co., available online here
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[1] “べこ”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000

[2] John Batchelor (1905) An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language)‎^[2], Tokyo, London: Methodist Publishing House; Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner Co., available online here

[DJR-3] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

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