行司

Japanese

Kanji in this term
行	司
ぎょう Grade: 2	じ Grade: 4
on’yomi

Etymology

/ɡyauzi/ → /ɡjoːʑi/

From Middle Chinese 行司 (MC hang si). For the sumo referee term, attested in the Muromachi period as 行(ぎょう)事(じ) (“event”); this kanji compound is likely the modern notation. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ぎょーじ [gyòójí] (Heiban – [0])
• (Tokyo) ぎょーじ​ [gyòójíꜜ] (Odaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [ɡʲo̞ːʑi]

Noun

行(ぎょう)司(じ) • (gyōji) ^{←ぎやうじ (gyauzi)?}

1. (sumo) sumo referee
2. Alternative spelling of 行事 (“a person handling affairs representing a town/merchants' union in the Edo period”)

Descendants

• → English: gyoji

Further reading

• Etymology entry for 行司 at Yurai-Gogen Jiten (Origin and Etymology Dictionary; in Japanese): http://yain.jp/i/行司