閑子鳥

Japanese

Alternative spelling, replacing 古 (ko, “old”) with 子 (ko, “child; small thing”).

Also analyzable as a compound of 閑 (kan, “lonesome”) +‎ 子鳥 (kodori, “little bird”).

For pronunciation and definitions of 閑子鳥 – see the following entry.

[noun] [from 1603] a cuckoo

[noun] [from 1718] (figurative) loneliness, dreariness, desolateness

(This term, 閑子鳥, is an alternative spelling (less common) of the above term.)