空蝉

Japanese

Kanji in this term
空	蝉
Grade: 1	Hyōgai

Alternative spelling
空蟬 (kyūjitai)

Etymology 1

/utuso₂mi₁/ *[utusəmi] → /utusomi/. A contraction of 現し (utsushi, “reality”) and 臣 (omi₁, “subject, vassal”). Older form of 空蝉 (utsusemi). The kanji are ateji.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [utsusomi]

Noun

空蝉(うつそみ) • (utsusomi)

a living being
the world of the living

Derived terms

空蝉(うつせみ) (utsusemi)

Etymology 2

/utusemi₁/ → /utusemi/. From older /utusomi/. The association with a cicada shell is due to a reinterpretation based on the homonymous words 空 (utsu, “hollow”) and 蝉 (semi, “cicada”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [utsusemi]

Noun

空蝉(うつせみ) • (utsusemi)

a living being
the world of the living
the cast-off shell of a cicada
emptiness