一石六斗

Japanese

Kanji in this term
一	石	六	斗
いち > いっ Grade: 1	こく Grade: 1	ろく Grade: 1	と Grade: S
on'yomi

Etymology

Based on a pun on the term はっと (hatto, “startled, surprised”) written using the ateji (当て字) of 八斗 (hatto, “eight to”, where to is a traditional Japanese unit of volume). Literally, the phrase means “one koku (石) and six to”, a measure of volume roughly equivalent to 288 liters and equal to 16 to.

Figuratively, refers to seeing something once, being happily surprised and saying はっと (hatto), and then seeing it again and saying はっと once more in disappointment. はっと twice would be 8 to + 8 to = 16 to, or 1 koku and 6 to.^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ik̚ko̞kɯ̟̊ ɾo̞kɯ̟̊to̞]

Noun

一(いっ)石(こく)六(ろく)斗(と) • (ikkoku rokuto)

(obsolete) being surprised twice
(obsolete) more specifically, describes the appearance of a woman who has a beautiful figure from behind but has an ugly face
Synonym: バックシャン (bakkushan)

References

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

Nihon Kokugo Daijiten (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shōgakukan, 2000-2002

[KDJ-1] Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

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