いろ

いろ

Japanese

Etymology 1

/iro₂/ → /iro/

From Old Japanese. First cited in ancient texts such as the Kojiki of 712.[1]

Cognate with いら (ira). Appears to be distinct from 色 (⟨iro₂⟩ → iro, “color”).

Prefix

いろ • (iro-) 

1. kinship through the same mother

   Antonym: まま (mama)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• いろは (iroha, “one's birth mother”)
• いろ背(せ) (irose, “a sibling from the same mother”)
• いろね (irone, “a sibling from the same mother”)
• いろ兄(え) (iroe, “an older brother from the same mother”)
• いろと (iroto, “a younger sibling from the same mother”)
• いろも (iromo, “a younger sister from the same mother”)

Etymology 2

Reading of various kanji terms.

Noun

いろ • (iro) 

1. 井路: a waterway or other conduit for water to be used for drinking, agriculture, etc.
2. 色: color
3. 倚廬: temporary housing in which an emperor resides during the period of mourning following the death of the emperor's father

References

1. “いろ”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN