Japanese

edit
Kanji in this term

Grade: 4
し > じ
Grade: 3

Grade: 3
goon on'yomi kun'yomi

Etymology

edit

Compound of 不死 (fuji-, immortality, deathlessness, this reading only found in a few compounds; in isolation, the reading is fushi) +‎ (mi, body).[1][2]

The apparent rendaku on the middle syllable is difficult to explain. Rendaku usually only happens at the boundaries of a compound's elements, whereas here we see the initial element 不死 (fushi) shift to 不死 (fuji-). Phonologically, this would suggest that the compound were instead (fu-, not, un-) + 死身 (*shimi, dying + body). However, no such term exists; the closest term is 死に身 (shinimi, dying + body).

First cited to a text from 1703.[3]

Pronunciation

edit

Adjective

edit

()()() (fujimi-na (adnominal ()()() (fujimi na), adverbial ()()() (fujimi ni))

  1. [from 1703] invulnerable, indestructible, immortal
  2. [from 1925] (figurative) invulnerable, unfazable, unflappable: not becoming discouraged or frustrated in the face of failure or difficulty

Usage notes

edit

Although this term is used with the -na adjective grammar pattern using the particle (na), it is also frequently encountered as an attributive noun with the particle (no) instead.

Inflection

edit

Noun

edit

()()() (fujimi

  1. invulnerability, indestructibility, immortality
    • 2000 August 10, Yūma Andō with Asaki, Masashi, “(けん)()() (くに)(みつ) [Kunimitsu, Brawl Delivery]”, in サイコメトラーEIJI(エイジ) [Psychometrer EIJI], volume 24 (fiction), Tokyo: Kodansha, →ISBN:
      ハーッハーッ バカ()(ろう) ()()()()(とう)(くに)(みつ)をナメンなよ⁉
      Hāhhā' Baka yarō Fujimi no Mutō Kunimitsu o namen na yo⁉
      Hahahaha! Bastard! Never hearda the indestructible Mutō Kunimitsu, ain’t ya⁉
  2. [from 1703] an invulnerable, indestructible, or immortal body
  3. [from 1925] (figurative) invulnerability, unfazability, unflappability: the state or quality of not becoming discouraged or frustrated in the face of failure or difficulty
  4. [from 1925] (figurative) a person with an unfazable or unflappable character

Usage notes

edit

Although this term is found with the -na adjective grammar pattern using the particle (na), it is also frequently encountered as an attributive noun with the particle (no) instead.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  3. ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  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

Korean

edit
Hanja in this term

Noun

edit

不死身 (bulsasin) (hangeul 불사신)

  1. Hanja form? of 불사신 (an immortal).