大弓

Japanese

Etymology 1

大弓 (daikyū, ōyumi): diagram of a traditional Japanese longbow.

大弓 (ōyumi): an ancient Qin dynasty stonebow.

Kanji in this term
大	弓
だい Grade: 1	きゅう Grade: 2
goon	kan’on

May have been coined in Japan of Middle Chinese-derived components, as a compound of 大 (dai, “large, great”) +‎ 弓 (kyū, “bow”).

Alternatively, may be a reanalysis of older term 大弓 (ōyumi, see below), applying the on'yomi to the characters.

Appears in texts from the 1700s.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) だいきゅう [dàíkyúú] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [da̠ikʲɨᵝː]

Noun

大(だい)弓(きゅう) • (daikyū) 

1. a longbow, a great bow

   Synonym: (literally “long bow”) 長弓 (chōkyū)

2. (more specifically) a Japanese longbow (traditionally 2.25m in length)

   Synonym: (literally “Japanese bow”) 和弓 (wakyū)

3. a regular-sized bow (in contrast to the small 半弓 (hankyū, “shortbow”))

   Synonym: 弓 (yumi)

Coordinate terms

• 半弓(はんきゅう) (hankyū, “shortbow”)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
大	弓
おお Grade: 1	ゆみ Grade: 2
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
弩

/opojumi/ → /oɸojumi/ → */owojumi/ → /oːjumi/

Compound of 大 (ō, “large, great”) +‎ 弓 (yumi, “bow”).

Listed in the Wamyō Ruijushō of 938 CE.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) おおゆみ [òóyúmí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [o̞ːjɯ̟ᵝmʲi]

Noun

大(おお)弓(ゆみ) • (ōyumi) ^{←おほゆみ (ofoyumi)?}

1. a longbow, a great bow

   Synonyms: (literally “long bow”) 長弓 (chōkyū), (literally “Japanese bow”) 和弓 (wakyū)

2. (historical) a large stonebow

   Synonyms: (literally “stone bow”) 石弓 (ishiyumi), 弩 (do), (literally “stonebow bow”) 弩弓 (dokyū)