露西亜
Japanese
| Kanji in this term | ||
|---|---|---|
| 露 | 西 | 亜 |
| ろ Grade: S (ateji) |
し Grade: 2 (ateji) |
あ Grade: S (ateji) |
| kan’on | irregular | kan’on |
| Alternative spelling |
|---|
| 露西亞 (kyūjitai) |
Etymology
Borrowing from Russian Росси́я (Rossíja).[1][2][3]
The spelling is ateji (当て字), adopted in 1877 after diplomatic pressure from Russia to change from the previous 魯西亜 spelling, out of concern that the initial 魯 (ro) character expressed a sense of foolish. However, the 露 (ro) character was chosen for its sense of dew, from the political metaphor that the morning dew will disappear as the sun rises, wherein "sun" refers to Japan.[4]
The use of 西亜 for the latter portion is likely influenced by Chinese phonetics, and historical use of these characters to spell out the -siya portion of Rossiya in sources such as a bible translated into Chinese in 1864.
Proper noun
露西亜 • (Roshia)
- Dated spelling of ロシア.: Russia (The largest country in the world, a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and North Asia)
References
- Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 [Kōjien] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
- Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- 渡辺雅司 (Masaji Watanabe) (2003) ユーラシア研究所ブックレット編集委員会 (Yūrashia Kenkyūjo Bukkuretto Henshū Iinkai, Institute of Eurasian Studies, Booklet Editing Committee), editor, 明治日本とロシアの影 [Meiji Japan and the Shadow of Russia] (in Japanese), 東洋書店 (Tōyō Shoten), →ISBN, pages 4-5
- Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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