不死身

Japanese

Kanji in this term

Grade: 4
し > じ
Grade: 3

Grade: 3
goon on’yomi kun’yomi

Etymology

Compound of 不死 (fuji-, immortality, deathlessness, this reading only found in a few compounds; in isolation, the reading is fushi) + (mi, body).[1][2]

The apparent rendaku on the middle syllable is difficult to explain. Rendaku usually only happens at the boundaries of a compound's elements, whereas here we see the initial element 不死 (fushi) shift to 不死 (fuji-). Phonologically, this would suggest that the compound were instead (fu-, not, un-) + 死身 (*shimi, dying + body). However, no such term exists; the closest term is 死に身 (shinimi, dying + body).

First cited to a text from 1703.[3]

Pronunciation

Adjective

()()() • (fujimi) -na (adnominal ()()() (fujimi na), adverbial ()()() (fujimi ni))

  1. [from 1703] invulnerable, indestructible, immortal
  2. [from 1925] (figurative) invulnerable, unfazable, unflappable: not becoming discouraged or frustrated in the face of failure or difficulty

Usage notes

Although this term is used with the -na adjective grammar pattern using the particle (na), it is also frequently encountered as an attributive noun with the particle (no) instead.

Inflection

Noun

()()() • (fujimi) 

  1. invulnerability, indestructibility, immortality
    • 2000 August 10, Yūma Andō with Asaki, Masashi, “(けん)()() (くに)(みつ) [Kunimitsu, Brawl Delivery]”, in サイコメトラーEIJI(エイジ) [Psychometrer EIJI], volume 24 (fiction), Tokyo: Kodansha, →ISBN:
      ハーッハーッ バカ()(ろう) ()()()()(とう)(くに)(みつ)をナメンなよ⁉
      Hāhhā' Baka yarō Fujimi no Mutō Kunimitsu o namen na yo⁉
      Hahahaha! Bastard! Never hearda the indestructible Mutō Kunimitsu, ain’t ya⁉
  2. [from 1703] an invulnerable, indestructible, or immortal body
  3. [from 1925] (figurative) invulnerability, unfazability, unflappability: the state or quality of not becoming discouraged or frustrated in the face of failure or difficulty
  4. [from 1925] (figurative) a person with an unfazable or unflappable character

Usage notes

Although this term is found with the -na adjective grammar pattern using the particle (na), it is also frequently encountered as an attributive noun with the particle (no) instead.

See also

References

  1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  3. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  4. NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN

Korean

Hanja in this term

Noun

不死身 • (bulsasin) (hangeul 불사신)

  1. Hanja form? of 불사신 (an immortal).
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