肥後守
Japanese edit
Kanji in this term | ||
---|---|---|
肥 | 後 | 守 |
ひ Grade: 5 |
ご(の) Grade: 2 |
かみ Grade: 3 |
kan’on | kan’yōon | kun’yomi |
Alternative spelling |
---|
肥後の守 |
Etymology edit
Compound of 肥後 (Higo, “Higo Province”, corresponding to modern Kumamoto Prefecture) + の (no, possessive particle) + 守 (kami, “governor (of a province)”). Coined as part of the Ritsuryō system of the late 600s and early 700s.
The knife sense arose from this term being used as a trademark for a specific brand of pocketknife, originally produced by former swordmakers in Kumamoto Prefecture.[1] This brand name then became used for this style of pocketknife in general (compare usage of English kleenex or aspirin). This sense is first cited in 1931.[2]
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
肥後守 • (Higo no Kami)
- [from late 600s or early 700s] (history, government) the Governor of Higo
- [from 1931] a type of Japanese folding pocketknife
References edit
- ^ “肥後守”, in デジタル大辞泉[1] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
- ^ “肥後守”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)[2] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
- ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN