空蝉

Japanese

Kanji in this term
空 蝉
Grade: 1 Hyōgai
Alternative spelling
空蟬 (kyūjitai)

Etymology 1

/utuso2mi1/ *[utusəmi] → /utusomi/. A contraction of 現し (utsushi, “reality”) and 臣 (omi1, “subject, vassal”). Older form of 空蝉 (utsusemi). The kanji are ateji.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ɯ̟t͡sɨso̞mʲi]

Noun

空蝉(うつそみ) • (utsusomi) 

  1. a living being
  2. the world of the living
Derived terms
  • 空蝉(うつせみ) (utsusemi)

Etymology 2

/utusemi1/ → /utusemi/. From older /utusomi/. The association with a cicada shell is due to a reinterpretation based on the homonymous words 空 (utsu, “hollow”) and 蝉 (semi, “cicada”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ɯ̟t͡sɨse̞mʲi]

Noun

空蝉(うつせみ) • (utsusemi) 

  1. a living being
  2. the world of the living
  3. the cast-off shell of a cicada
  4. emptiness
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