相撲

“sumo”

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 相撲 (sumō).

相撲

1. mutually rushing at; fighting
2. xiangpu (traditional Chinese wrestling)
3. sumo (traditional Japanese wrestling)

Derived from Old Japanese verb 争ふ (sumapu), modern 争う (sumau, “to contend, resist, compete (in sumo, for example)”).^[1][2][3]

There are two leading theories regarding the derivation:

• May be a nominalization of the 終止形 (shūshikei, “terminal form”) and 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) sumapu:^[1][2]

/sumapu/ → /sumaɸu/ → */sumawu/ → /sumau/ → /sumɔː/ → /sumoː/

• May be an instance of ウ音便 (u onbin, ““u” sound shift”), found in terms with bilabial consonants (/m/, /b/, /w/) followed by i:^[1][3]

⟨sumapi₁⟩ → */sumapʲi/ → /sumaɸi/ → /sumawi/ → */sumawu/ → /sumau/ → /sumɔː/ → /sumoː/

That said, the nominalization of terminal/attributive verb forms is quite rare in Japanese, whereas the “u” sound shift pattern is not uncommon.

The kanji spelling is either from the native sumai or Sino-Japanese sōboku readings below.

• (Tokyo) すもー [sùmóó] (Heiban – [0])^[4][5][6]
• IPA^(key): [sɨmo̞ː]

相撲(すもう) • (sumō) ^{←すまふ (sumafu)?}

1. sumo (Japanese traditional wrestling)

   Synonym: 角力 (kakuryoku)

2. short for 相撲取り (sumōtori): a sumo wrestler

   Synonyms: 力士 (rikishi), お相撲さん (osumōsan)

3. (historical) short for 相撲の節 (Sumō no Sechi) or 相撲の節会 (Sumō no Sechie): in the Heian period, a special ceremonial sumo match held in July to help ensure a good harvest

相撲(すもう) • (Sumō) ^{←すまふ (Sumafu)?}

1. a surname

⟨sumapi₁⟩ → */sumapʲi/ → /sumaɸi/ → /sumawi/ → /sumai/

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of Old Japanese verb 争ふ (sumapu), modern 争う (sumau, “to contend, resist, compete (in sumo, for example)”), likely derived in turn from verb 済む (sumu, “to settle, finish”, intransitive) as the 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) suma + auxiliary verb ふ (fu, indicating repetitive or ongoing action) → “on the verge of being settled” → “to be in competition”.

The kanji spelling is an orthographic borrowing from Middle Chinese 相撲 (MC sjang phuwk, literally “mutually striking”).

• IPA^(key): [sɨma̠i]

相撲(すまい) • (sumai) ^{←すまひ (sumafi)?}

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) a competition of power and skill, similar to modern-day sumo
   • 938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō, volume 4:

     相撲　漢武故事云：「角觝［丁礼反。訓与突同］今之相撲也。」王隱晉書云：「相撲［撲音。蒲角反。和名：須末比。本朝相撲記有占手、垂髪、総角、最手、助手、等之名別。亦有立合、相撲長也。］下伎也。」

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (archaic, possibly obsolete) short for 相撲取り (sumaitori): a sumo wrestler

   Synonym: 相撲人 (sumaibito)

3. (historical, archaic) short for 相撲の節 (Sumai no Sechi) or 相撲の節会 (Sumai no Sechie): in the Heian period, a special ceremonial sumo match held in July to help ensure a good harvest

• 相撲(すまい)も立(た)つ方(かた) (sumai mo tatsu kata, “take a stand even when in sumo → show involvement even for a while”)

/sumɔː/ → /sumɔɴ/ → /sumoɴ/

Edo-period shift from sumō above.

相撲(すもん) • (sumon) 

1. (obsolete) Same as すもう (sumō) above

/sauboku/ → /sɔːboku/ → /soːboku/

From Middle Chinese 相撲 (MC sjang phuwk). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

相(そう)撲(ぼく) • (sōboku) ^{←さうぼく (sauboku)?}

1. (obsolete) a competition of power and skill, similar to modern-day sumo

• 捔力

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 爭ふ (sumapu, “to contend, resist”), likely derived in turn from verb 濟む (sumu, “to settle, finish”, intransitive) as the 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) suma + auxiliary verb ふ (pu, indicating repetitive or ongoing action).

The kanji spelling is an orthographic borrowing from Middle Chinese 相撲 (MC sjang phuwk, literally “mutually striking”).

相撲 (sumapi₁) (kana すまひ)

1. a competition of power and skill, similar to modern-day sumo
   • 720, Nihon Shoki, Emperor Suinin; seventh year of the seventh lunar month:

     卽日、遣倭直祖長尾市、喚野見宿禰。於是、野見宿禰、自出雲至。則當摩蹶速與野見宿禰令捔力。

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 720, Nihon Shoki, Emperor Yūryaku; thirteenth year of the ninth lunar month:

     乃喚集采女、使脱衣裙而著犢鼻、露所相撲。

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• Japanese: 相撲 (sumai → sumō)