けふ

Japanese

For pronunciation and definitions of けふ – see the following entry.

【きょう】 [noun] today [proper noun] a female given name Alternative spelling 今日

(This term, けふ, is a historical kana spelling of the above term.) For a list of all kanji read as けふ, see Category:Japanese kanji read as けふ.)

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Old Japanese

Etymology

Compound of 此 (ke₁, apophonic form of ko₂, “this”) +‎ 日 (pu, apophonic form of pi₁, “day”).

Noun

けふ (ke₁pu)

1. today
   • 711–712, Kojiki, poem 102:

     毛毛志紀能淤富美夜比登波宇豆良登理比禮登理加氣弖麻那婆志良袁由岐阿閇爾波須受米宇受須麻理韋弖祁布母加母佐加美豆久良斯多加比加流比能美夜比登許登能加多理碁登母許袁婆

     mo₁mo₁siki₂ no₂ opomi₁yapi₁to₂ pa udurato₂ri pi₁re to₂rikakete manabasira wo yuki₁ape₂ nipasuzume₂ uzusumariwite ke₁pu mo₂ ka mo₂ sakami₁dukurasi takapi₁karu pi₁ no mi₁yapito₂ ko₂to₂ no₂ katarigo₂to₂ mo₂ ko₂ wo ba

     Men of the palace, great fortress of the hundred stones, like quail fowl hang scarves about their necks, like wagtails cross tails as they go, like yard sparrows squad in circles on the ground. Today too for sure they will be well steeped in drink: men of the palace of the high-shining sun. This story, the words of the story are these words.

   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 18, poem 4079:
     , text here

     美之麻野爾可須美多奈妣伎之可須我爾伎乃敷毛家布毛由伎波敷里都追

     Mi₁sima-no₁ ni kasumi₁ tanabi₁ki₁ sikasuga ni ki₁no₂pu mo ke₁pu mo yuki₁ pa puritutu

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Derived terms

• けふけふと (ke₁pu ke₁pu to₂, pillow word)
• きのふけふ (ki₁no₂pu ke₁pu)

Descendants

• Japanese: きょう, 今日 (kyō)

Coordinate terms

• きのふ (ki₁no₂pu, “yesterday”)
• あす (asu, “tomorrow”)