へみゆみ

Japanese

Etymology

Attested only once in the Minamoto no Shitagōshū (源順集) of circa 983 CE.^[1]

Possibly cognate with Old Japanese ひみ (pi₂mi₁, unknown; a type of tree made from bow wood?).^[2]

If the definition is correct, then this might be a compound of 蛇 (hemi > hebi, “snake”, from the way it wraps around objects) +‎ 弓 (yumi, “bow”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

The Nihon Kokugo Daijiten (2nd edition) also gives a reading へびゆみ (hebiyumi), but without any citations.^[3]

Noun

へみゆみ • (hemiyumi)

(hapax legomenon, obsolete) (said to be) a bow made from twisted logs

References

^ “へみ‐ゆみ【─弓】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
The concise edition does not have this entry. The only citation provided reads:

へみゆみのはるにもあらで散る花はゆきかと山にいる人にとへ
femiyumi no faru ni mo ara de TIru FANA fa yuki ka to YAMA ni iru FITO ni to fe
(please add an English translation of this usage example)
^ “ひみ‐ゆみ【肥美弓】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[2] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
The concise edition does not have this entry.
^ “へび‐ゆみ【─弓】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[3] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
The concise edition does not have this entry. It is given as a noun 〔名〕 and has the meaning "「へみゆみ（─弓）」に同じ。 (same meaning as hemiyumi)". Thus, the alternative form given is a ghost.

[KDJ2Ofemiyumi-1] “へみ‐ゆみ【─弓】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
The concise edition does not have this entry. The only citation provided reads:

へみゆみのはるにもあらで散る花はゆきかと山にいる人にとへ
femiyumi no faru ni mo ara de TIru FANA fa yuki ka to YAMA ni iru FITO ni to fe
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

[KDJ2Opimiyumi-2] “ひみ‐ゆみ【肥美弓】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[2] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
The concise edition does not have this entry.

[KDJ2Ohebiyumi-3] “へび‐ゆみ【─弓】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[3] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
The concise edition does not have this entry. It is given as a noun 〔名〕 and has the meaning "「へみゆみ（─弓）」に同じ。 (same meaning as hemiyumi)". Thus, the alternative form given is a ghost.

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