ほととぎす

Japanese

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ほととぎす [hòtótóꜜgìsù] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [ho̞to̞to̞ɡʲisɨᵝ]

• Pitch accent for pillow word uncertain.

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
杜鵑 時鳥 子規 郭公 杜宇 蜀魂 田鵑 不如帰

From Old Japanese.

The final su is most likely す (su, “bird”, ancient term only found in old compounds), itself possibly cognate with Korean 새 (sae, “bird”).

Noun

ほととぎす or ホトトギス • (hototogisu) 

1. the lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus
   • 1187, Senzai Wakashū (book 3, poem 161; also Hyakunin Isshu, poem 81)

     ほととぎす鳴(な)きつる方(かた)をながむればただ有明(ありあけ)の月(つき)ぞ残(のこ)れる

     hototogisu nakitsuru kata o nagamureba tada ariake no tsuki zo nokoreru

     When I gaze in the direction of the crying cuckoo, only the moon lingers in the dawn.

   Hypernym: 郭公 (kakkō)

Etymology 2

Alternative spellings
時鳥草 杜鵑草 油点草

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Noun

ほととぎす or ホトトギス • (hototogisu) 

1. Short for 杜鵑草 (hototogisusō): a toad lily,

---

Old Japanese

Etymology

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Noun

ほととぎす (poto₂to₂gi₁su)

1. the lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus
2. allusion to 飛幡 (To₁bata, a placename)
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 12, poem 3165:

     霍公鳥 飛幡之浦尓 敷浪乃 屡君乎 将見因毛鴨

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)