倶楽部

See also: 俱樂部 and 俱乐部

Japanese

Kanji in this term
倶	楽	部
く Hyōgaiji (ateji)	らく > ら Grade: 2 (ateji)	ぶ Grade: 3 (ateji)
on’yomi	irregular	on’yomi

Alternative spellings
倶樂部 (kyūjitai) 俱楽部

Etymology

Borrowed from English club, in reference to an association or group of people.

The spelling is ateji (当て字), apparently from the early Meiji period, chosen for the senses of 倶(く) (ku, on'yomi; also a kun'yomi of tomo as in “together”) + 楽(ら) (ra, irregular on'yomi, usually raku; also a kun'yomi of tanoshimu as in “to enjoy”) + 部(ぶ) (bu, “part; division; section; department”, imparting a sense of “smaller group of people”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ク​ラブ [kúꜜràbù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ᵝɾa̠bɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

倶楽部(クラブ) • (kurabu) 

1. a club (as an association or group of people)

   タモリ倶楽部(クラブ)

   tamori kurabu

   Tamori Club

Usage notes

• More commonly spelled in katakana, as クラブ.

Descendants

• → Chinese: 俱樂部／俱乐部 (jùlèbù)
• → Korean: 구락부 (gurakbu)
• → Vietnamese: câu lạc bộ