彼方此方

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
彼	方	此	方
あ Grade: S	ちら Grade: 2	こ Jinmeiyō	ちら Grade: 2
kun’yomi	irregular	kun’yomi	irregular

Shortening of あちあり、こちあり (achi ari, kochi ari “some are over there, some are here”).

Compare Korean 여기저기 (yeogijeogi, literally “here + over there”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あちらこ​ちら [àchírákóꜜchìrà] (Nakadaka – [4])
• IPA^(key): [a̠t͡ɕiɾa̠ko̞t͡ɕiɾa̠]

Pronoun

彼(あ)方(ちら)此(こ)方(ちら) • (achirakochira) 

1. here and there

Adjective

彼(あ)方(ちら)此(こ)方(ちら) • (achirakochira) -na (adnominal 彼(あ)方(ちら)此(こ)方(ちら)な (achirakochira na), adverbial 彼(あ)方(ちら)此(こ)方(ちら)に (achirakochira ni))

1. muddled
   • 2010, Ono Saseo, Sutorippu shūgaku ryokō [Striptease field trip], Aozora Bunko, →OCLC:

     いやそれより驚(おどろ)いたのは、エイうるさいとついに浴衣(ゆかた)をかなぐりすてたのか、あちらこちらにシミーズ一(いち)枚(まい)

     Iya sore yori odoroita no wa, Ei urusai to tsuini yukata o kanaguri suteta no ka, achirakochira ni shimīzu ichimai

     No, more surprising than that may have been when A with persistence finally shucked her yukata, revealing a jumbled thin chemise

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
彼	方	此	方
あ Grade: S	ち Grade: 2	こ Jinmeiyō	ち Grade: 2
kun’yomi	irregular	kun’yomi	irregular

Possibly from 彼路(あち) (achi, “that way”) + 此路(こち) (kochi, “this way”) or 彼地(あち) (achi, “that place”) + 此地(こち) (kochi, “this place”); compare archaic あち (achi, “over there”). Alternatively, perhaps from 遠近(おちこち) (ochikochi, “far and near”). Attested from the 13th century.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あち​こち [àchíꜜkòchì] (Nakadaka – [2])
• (Tokyo) あちこ​ち [àchíkóꜜchì] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [a̠t͡ɕiko̞t͡ɕi]

Pronoun

彼(あ)方(ち)此(こ)方(ち) • (achikochi) 

1. here and there

   ゴミがあちこちに散(ち)らばっている

   gomi ga achikochi ni chirabatteiru

   trash is scattered here and there

Adjective

彼(あ)方(ち)此(こ)方(ち) • (achikochi) -na (adnominal 彼(あ)方(ち)此(こ)方(ち)な (achikochi na), adverbial 彼(あ)方(ち)此(こ)方(ち)に (achikochi ni))

1. reversed, inverted, opposite
   • a. 1728, Ogiyu Sorai, Gen'en zatsuwa [Weary jottings], published 1772:

     親(おや)が子(こ)を引(ひき)合(あわ)すべきに、子(こ)にて親(おや)を引(ひき)合(あわ)すはあちこちなり

     Oya ga ko o hikiawasu beki ni, ko ni te oya o hikiawasu wa achikochi nari

     When parents should call in their children, it is perverse that the children call their parents

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
彼	方	此	方
あ Grade: S	っち Grade: 2	こ Jinmeiyō	っち Grade: 2
kun’yomi	irregular	kun’yomi	irregular

Sound shift from achikochi.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あっち​こっち [àtchíꜜkòtchì] (Nakadaka – [3])
• (Tokyo) あっちこ​っち [àtchíkóꜜtchì] (Nakadaka – [4])
• IPA^(key): [a̠t̚t͡ɕiko̞t̚t͡ɕi]

Pronoun

彼(あ)方(っち)此(こ)方(っち) • (atchikotchi) 

1. here and there