弓弦

Chinese

		a bow (weapon)	bow string; string of mus. instr.
simp. and trad. (弓弦)		弓	弦

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): gōngxián

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄨㄥ ㄒㄧㄢˊ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gōngxián
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄨㄥ ㄒㄧㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gongsián
    • Wade–Giles: kung¹-hsien²
    • Yale: gūng-syán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gongshyan
    • Palladius: гунсянь (gunsjanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʊŋ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn³⁵/

Noun

(deprecated template usage) 弓弦

1. bowstring

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

弓弦 (yuzuru, yumizuru, yunzuru): a traditional Japanese bowstring and 弦巻 (tsurumaki, “woven bowstring winder”).

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
弓	弦
ゆ Grade: 2	つる > づる Grade: S
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese. Compound of 弓 (yu, “bow”) +‎ 弦 (tsuru, “string, line”). The tsuru changes to zuru as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Probably the original reading, given the etymology of the yu and yumi readings for 弓.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [jɯ̃ᵝd͡zɯᵝɾ̠ɯᵝ] (dialectal pronunciation)

Noun

弓(ゆ)弦(づる) • (yuzuru) 

1. a bowstring
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 11, poem 2638:
     ; text here

     梓弓 末之腹野尓 鷹田為 君之弓食之 将絶跡念甕屋

     梓弓 末のはら野に 鳥狩する 君が弓弦の 絶えむと思へや
     あづさゆみ すゑのはらのに とがりする きみがゆづるの たえむとおもへや

     Azusa yumi / sue no harano ni / togari suru / kimi ga yuzuru no / taemu to omoe ya

     Think about your bowstring snapping as you go off hunting birds in the far fields with your catalpa bow

Idioms

Idioms

• 弓弦を鳴らす (ゆづるをならす, ​yuzuru o narasu): “to make the bowstring sing” → to strum or thrum a bowstring, done to ward off evil

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
弓	弦
ゆみ Grade: 2	つる > づる Grade: S
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese. Compound of 弓 (yumi, “bow”) +‎ 弦 (tsuru, “string, line”). The tsuru changes to zuru as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Probably a later reading, given the etymology of the yu and yumi readings for 弓.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [jɯ̃ᵝmid͡zɯᵝɾ̠ɯᵝ] (dialectal pronunciation)

Noun

弓(ゆみ)弦(づる) • (yumizuru) 

1. a bowstring

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 弓弦打(ゆみづるう)ち (yumizuru uchi), 弓弦打(ゆみづるうち) (yumizuru uchi): striking or strumming a bowstring, done to ward off evil
• 弓弦師(ゆみづるし) (yumizurushi): a master maker of bowstrings
• 弓弦袋(ゆみづるぶくろ) (yumizurubukuro): a pouch for a spare bowstring

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
弓	弦
ゆみ > ゆん Grade: 2	つる > づる Grade: S
kun’yomi

/jumizuru/ → /junzuru/

Alteration from yumizuru reading.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [jɯ̃ᵝɴd͡zɯᵝɾ̠ɯᵝ] (dialectal pronunciation)

Noun

弓(ゆん)弦(づる) • (yunzuru) 

1. a bowstring