木霊

Japanese

Kanji in this term
木	霊
こ Grade: 1	たま > だま Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative spellings
木靈 (kyūjitai) 木魂 谺

Etymology

Compound of 木(こ) (ko, “tree”) + 霊(たま) (tama, “spirit”). /ko/ is an older and apophonic form of /ki/ found in compounds.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) こだま [kòdámá] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞da̠ma̠]

Noun

木霊(こたま) • (kotama) 

1. a tree spirit; the protective deity of a tree
   • 938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō, volume 1, page 44:

     樹神 [...] 内典云樹神、和名古太万

     Tree spirit [...]the Sutras call them tree spirits Japanese name kotama

Noun

木(こ)霊(だま) • (kodama) 

1. a tree spirit; the protective deity of a tree
2. echo in valleys, mountains, off walls, etc.

References

• Minamoto, Shitagō with Kyōto Daigaku Bungakubu Kokugogaku Kokubungaku Kenkyūshitu (931–938) Shohon Shūsei Wamyō Ruijushō: Honbunhen (in Japanese), Kyōto: Rinsen, published 1968, →ISBN.