神酒

Japanese

神酒 (shinshu, miki, miwa): two bottles of sacramental sake used as a Shinto offering.

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
しん
Grade: 3
しゅ
Grade: 3
on’yomi
Alternative spelling
(kyūjitai)

Possibly from Middle Chinese compound 神酒 (ʑiɪn t͡sɨuX, literally god + wine).

Alternatively, coined in Japan of Middle Chinese-derived elements, as a compound of (shin, god, spirit) + (shu, wine, liquor, alcohol).

The individual character readings are kan'on shin + goon shu, suggesting either an innovation in the reading after borrowing, or a Japanese coinage.

Pronunciation

Noun

(しん)(しゅ) • (shinshu) 

  1. sacramental sake used in a Shinto ceremony
  2. ambrosia, nectar
Synonyms

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term

Grade: 3

Grade: 3
kun’yomi
Alternative spellings
(kyūjitai)
御酒

From Old Japanese 御酒 (mi1ki1). Appears in the Kojiki of 712 CE. In turn, from Proto-Japonic *mi-ki.

Compound of (mi, honorific prefix used in spiritual contexts) + (ki, wine, liquor, alcohol, ancient root, not found in many words).[1][2][3]

Pronunciation

Noun

()() • (miki) 

  1. sacramental sake used in a Shinto ceremony
  2. ambrosia, nectar
Usage notes

In Shinto contexts, often prefixed with the honorific o- as 御神酒, 大御酒 (omiki), or ō- “great” as 大神酒 (ōmiki).

Synonyms

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term

Grade: 3

Grade: 3
irregular
Alternative spellings
(kyūjitai)
御酒

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshū of 759 CE. Compound of (mi, honorific prefix used in spiritual contexts) + (wa, a morpheme of uncertain derivation).[1][2][3] The final wa may be related to (awa, bubble) in reference to the bubbles of fermentation (compare 泡盛 (awamori, Okinawan rice-based strong spirits, literally lots of bubbles)), but this is only speculation.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [mʲiɰᵝa̠]

Noun

()() • (miwa) 

  1. (obsolete) sacramental sake used in a Shinto ceremony
  2. (obsolete) ambrosia, nectar
Usage notes

The miwa reading appears to be obsolete.

References

  1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  3. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.