歳寒三友

See also: 歲寒三友 and 岁寒三友

Japanese

Kanji in this term
歳	寒	三	友
さい Grade: S	かん Grade: 3	さん Grade: 1	ゆう Grade: 2
goon	kan’on

Alternative spelling
歲寒三友 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

From Chinese 歲寒三友／岁寒三友 (suìhánsānyǒu), equivalent to 歳寒(さいかん) (saikan, “winter”) + 三友(さんゆう) (san'yū, literally “three friends”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) さいかんさ​んゆう [sàíkáń sáꜜǹ'yùù] (Nakadaka – [5])
• IPA^(key): [sa̠ikã̠ɰ̃ sã̠ɰ̃jɯ̟ᵝː]

Noun

歳(さい)寒(かん)三(さん)友(ゆう) • (saikan san'yū) ^{←さいかんさんいう (saikansan'iu)?}

1. a motif in Chinese art featuring the "three friends of winter": pine (or daffodil), bamboo, and plum blossom

See also

• 松竹梅(しょうちくばい) (shōchikubai, “pine, bamboo, and plum blossom as a set”)
• 水仙(すいせん) (suisen, “daffodil”)