蓬蔂

See also: 蓬虆

Old Japanese

Etymology

Compound of 斎 (i-, prefix expressing sacredness) +‎ 血 (ti, “blood”) +‎ 彦 (pi₁ko₁, “boy, prince”). The pi₁ko₁ changes to bi₁ko₁ as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Orthographic borrowing from Middle Chinese 蓬虆 (buŋ liuɪ).

Noun

蓬蔂 (itibi₁ko₁) (kana いちびこ)

1. a strawberry
   • 720, Nihon Shoki, Emperor Yūryaku, entry 23: ninth year of the seventh lunar month:

     蓬蔂丘譽田陵下〈蓬蔂、此云伊致寐姑〉...

     ...passing Ichibiko-no-oka (or Strawberry Hill), at the foot of the imperial tomb of Homuta (here, "strawberry" is read as i-chi-bi-ko)...

Descendants

• Japanese: 苺, 莓 (ichigo)