照る照る坊主

Japanese
照る照る坊主 (teru teru bōzu): Examples of this rural folk amulet.
Kanji in this term
照 照 坊 主
て
Grade: 4		 て
Grade: 4		 ぼう
Grade: S		 す > ず
Grade: 3
Alternative spelling
てるてる坊主

Etymology

A phrase, composed of 照る (teru, “to shine, to be sunny”) + 坊主 (bōzu, “Buddhist monk”). Literally, “shine, shine monk”, whereby “shine” is partially in reference to fair weather.

Pronunciation
  • (Tokyo) てるてるぼ​ーず [tèrú térú bóꜜòzù] (Nakadaka – [5])[1][2][3]
  • IPA(key): [te̞ɾɯ̟ᵝ te̞ɾɯ̟ᵝ bo̞ːzɨᵝ]

Noun

照(て)る照(て)る坊(ぼう)主(ず) • (teru teru bōzu) ←てるてるばうず (teru teru bauzu)?

  1. a small, traditional handmade doll made of white paper or cloth

Usage notes

Japanese farmers began hanging these outside of their windows on a string. This folk amulet is supposed to have magical powers to bring good weather, and to stop or prevent a rainy day.

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. 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
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