Japanese edit

Etymology 1 edit

Kanji in this term
西
さい
Grade: 2
ぎょう
Grade: 2
goon

/sai ɡʲau//saiɡʲɔː//saiɡʲoː/

Literally "western journey", in reference to the Amitābha Buddha and 西方浄土 (Saihō Jōdo, western paradise) in Pure Land Buddhism.

Proper noun edit

西(さい)(ぎょう) (Saigyōさいぎやう (saigyau)?

  1. late Heian- to early Kamakura-period poet and Buddhist priest
    Synonym: 円位 (En'i)
    • 1187, Senzai Wakashū (book 15, poem 929 by priest [Saigyō]; also Hyakunin Isshu, poem 86)
      (なげ)けとて(つき)やはものを(おも)はするかこち(がほ)なるわが(なみだ)かな
      nageke tote tsuki ya wa mono o omowasuru kakochi-gao naru waga namida kana
      As if telling me to grieve, the moon―is it she that makes me melancholy? My troubled face, ah, my tears![1]
Derived terms edit

Noun edit

西(さい)(ぎょう) (saigyōさいぎやう (saigyau)?

  1. traveling in every direction; also, such a traveler
    from Saigyō's travels throughout every province of Japan
  2. (women's speech) any snail with a small spiral shell
  3. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
  4. Short for 西行桜 (Saigyō-zakura): This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
  5. (slang) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Etymology 2 edit

Kanji in this term
西
せい
Grade: 2
こう
Grade: 2
kan’on

/sei kau//seikɔː//seːkoː/

From Middle Chinese 西行 (MC sej haeng). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

西(せい)(こう) (seikōせいかう (seikau)?

  1. heading in a westward direction

Verb edit

西(せい)(こう)する (seikō suruせいかう (seikau)?suru (stem 西(せい)(こう) (seikō shi), past 西(せい)(こう)した (seikō shita))

  1. to go westward
Conjugation edit

References edit

  1. ^ Eishi Kikkawa (1997) Leonard C. Holvik, transl., Osamu Yamaguchi, editor, History of koto music and ziuta, Mita Press, original from the University of Michigan, →ISBN
  2. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN