もろこし

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
唐土唐

⟨mo₂ro₂ ko₁si⟩ → ⟨moro₂ko₁si⟩ → */morəkosi/ → /morokoɕi/

From Old Japanese, first attested in the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE).

Originally a compound of 諸 (moro-, prefix meaning "many") +‎ 越 (koshi), the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of 越す (kosu, “to cross (over)”),^[1] by reinterpretation of kun-reading 越 (koshi) from on-reading of 越 (Etsu).^[2] The compound refers to the 百越 (Bǎiyuè, “Baiyue”, literally “Hundred Yue”),^[3] a collective name for various ethnic groups which inhabited Southern China.

The kanji spellings 唐土 and 唐 are jukujikun (熟字訓), literally meaning “Tang land” and “Tang” respectively.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) もろこし [mòrókóshí] (Heiban – [0])^[1]^[4]
IPA^(key): [mo̞ɾo̞ko̞ɕi]

Proper noun

もろこし • (Morokoshi)

(archaic) China
Synonyms: 唐土 (Tōdo), 唐 (Tō), 唐 (Kara), (modern) 中国 (Chūgoku)

Noun

もろこし • (morokoshi)

(archaic) any objects imported from China

Derived terms

もろこしきび (morokoshi kibi)

Etymology 2

Alternative spellings
蜀黍唐黍

Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:

モロコシ

Wikipedia ^ja

English Wikipedia has an article on:

Sorghum bicolor

Wikipedia

もろこし (morokoshi, “sorghum”)

もろこし (morokoshi, “maize”)

Clipping of もろこしきび (morokoshi kibi), with the shortened reading then re-applied to the entire original kanji compounds 唐黍 and 蜀黍.^[5]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) もろこし [mòrókóshí] (Heiban – [0])^[1]
IPA^(key): [mo̞ɾo̞ko̞ɕi]

Noun

もろこし or モロコシ • (morokoshi)

sorghum
Synonyms: 唐黍 (tōkibi), 高黍 (takakibi), 蜀黍 (shokusho)
maize, corn (especially corn on the cob)
Synonyms: 玉蜀黍 (tōmorokoshi), 唐黍 (tōkibi)

Usage notes

The term 玉蜀黍 (tōmorokoshi) is more common for the maize sense.

Derived terms

玉蜀黍(とうもろこし) (tōmorokoshi)

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ “唐土・唐”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000
^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJR-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DJS-2] Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[KDJ2-3] “唐土・唐”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000

[NHK-4] NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

[KDJ-5] Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]