山車

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
山	車
だし
Grade: 1	Grade: 1
irregular

Alternative spelling
花車

Kanji in this term
山	車
Grade: 1	Grade: 1

Alternative spellings
楽車 地車 檀尻

A 山車(だんじり) (danjiri) at Saijō Festival in Ehime Prefecture, Japan

From 出(だ)し (dashi, “go out”), as it is believed that gods ride out on the vehicle. The form だんじり (danjiri) is used in the Kansai area.

Noun

山車(だし) or 山車(だんじり) • (dashi or danjiri) 

1. a float; a vehicle used in a festival

   Synonym: 山鉾 (yamaboko)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
山	車
さん Grade: 1	しゃ Grade: 1
on’yomi

From Chinese. Attested from the 10th century.

Noun

山(さん)車(しゃ) • (sansha) 

1. synonym of 山車 Etymology 1, above
2. a wooden cart that appears spontaneously without being made by man as an auspicious sign of the time of peace and tranquility

See also

• 瑞祥(ずいしょう) (zuishō, “an auspicious sign”)
• 天下太平(てんかたいへい) (tenkataihei, “reign of peace and tranquility”)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
山	車
やま Grade: 1	くるま > ぐるま Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Noun

山(やま)車(ぐるま) or 山車(ヤマグルマ) • (yamaguruma) 

1. wheel tree, Trochodendron aralioides

Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as ヤマグルマ.