久真

Old Japanese

Etymology

Compare Yoron くま (kuma, “divination”) and Tarama Miyako くま (kuma, “foxtail millet”). Beyond Japonic, compare Middle Korean 고〯마〮 (kwǒmá, “admiration”), which is possibly an ancient Koreanic loan into Japanese.

Noun

久真 (kuma)

1. an offering to the gods (usually rice)
   • 768, Yamato-hime-no-mikoto-seiki

     皇太神御前懸久真_尓懸奉始_天

     SUME₁RA NO₂ OPOKAMI₂ NO₂ MI₁-MAPE₁ NI KAKE₂ kuma ni KAKE₂ MATURI PAZIME₂te

     In front of the great god of emperors, [he] began made an offering to them.

Reconstruction notes

Attested in the Yamato-hime-no-mikoto-seiki of 768 (see quotation).

Kupchik (2022, 121-122) suggests this existed in Eastern Old Japanese:

c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 14, poem 3419:

伊可保世欲奈可中次下於毛比度路久麻許曾之都等和須礼西奈布母

ikapo se yo₁ (naka-NA PUKI₁tutu?) omopi₁do₁ro₁ kuma ko₂so₂ situ to₂ wasure senapu mo

(The wind continues to blow?) from the (rapids?) of Ikapo. I recall that I have made an offering to the deities. I will not forget you!