あがた

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spelling
県

From Old Japanese. Further derivation unknown; speculatively, might be from 彼 (a, “that”, distal marker) +‎ 方 (kata, “side; direction”), as in "over there, far away" and not near the central capital.

First cited in the Nihon Shoki of 720 with the administrative district sense.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あがた [àgátá] (Heiban – [0])
• (Tokyo) あ​がた [áꜜgàtà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [a̠ɡa̠ta̠]

Noun

あがた • (agata) ^{←あがた (agata)?}

1. [from 720] (historical) agata

   This was a class of administrative district in use in western Japan prior to the Taika Reform and the establishment of the Ritsuryō system. The agata were under direct control of the imperial government, in contrast to the 国 (kuni) that were under the control of the 姓 (kabane, “hereditary clans”). The agata were established as a kind of royal land preserve.

2. [from 759] (literary) countryside

   Synonym: 田舎 (inaka)

3. [from early 900s] (historical) a provincial governorship; a provincial governor

Derived terms

• 県主(あがたぬし) (agatanushi)

Etymology 2

Likely derived from agata ("administrative district").

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a̠ɡa̠ta̠]

Proper noun

あがた • (Agata) 

1. 県, 縣, 懸, あがた: a surname