独楽

独楽

See also: 獨樂

Japanese

独楽 (koma, komatsuburi, komatsukuri, tsumukuri, dokuraku): a collection of spinning tops.

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
独	楽
Grade: 5	Grade: 2
irregular

Alternative spelling
獨樂 (kyūjitai)

Appears to be a shortening of older reading komatsukuri[1] or komatsuburi[1][2] (see below).

The shorter form koma is now the most common reading. The kanji spelling is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓).

Pronunciation

• (Irregular reading)
• (Tokyo) こ​ま [kóꜜmà] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
• IPA^(key): [ko̞ma̠]

Noun

独楽(こま) • (koma)  (kyūjitai 獨樂)

1. a spinning top
2. (by extension) a rigid object that can rotate freely around a fixed point
3. a 家紋 (kamon, “family crest”) in the form or shape of a spinning top
4. a hexagonal or octagonal top, decorated with images and/or writing, used for gambling

   Synonym: 御花独楽 (ohanagoma)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 独楽(こま)塗(ぬり), 独楽塗(こまぬ)り (komanuri)
• 独楽(コマ)鼠(ネズミ) (komanezumi)
• 独楽(こま)回(まわ)し (koma-mawashi)
• 唸(うな)り独楽(ごま) (unarigoma)
• 曲(きょく)独楽(ごま) (kyokugoma)
• 源水(げんすい)独楽(ごま) (Gensui-goma)
• ごんごん独楽(ごま) (gongon-goma)
• 杯(さかずき)独楽(ごま) (sakazuki-goma)
• 銭(ぜに)独楽(ごま) (zenigoma)
• 叩(たた)き独楽(ごま) (tatakigoma)
• 唐(とう)独楽(ごま) (tōgoma)
• 貝(ばい)独楽(ごま), 海蠃(ばい)独楽(ごま) (baigoma), 貝(べい)独楽(ごま) (beigoma)
• 花(はな)独楽(ごま) (hanagoma)
• 不精(ぶしょう)独楽(ごま), 無精(ぶしょう)独楽(ごま) (bushō-goma)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
独	楽
Grade: 5	Grade: 2
irregular

Alternative spelling
獨樂 (kyūjitai)

Older form of koma above.

Compound of 高麗 (Koma, “Goryeo; China; foreign lands”) +‎ つぶり (tsuburi, “round thing”, cognate with 円ら (tsubura), “round”).[1][2]

Pronunciation

• (Irregular reading)
• IPA^(key): [ko̞ma̠t͡sɨᵝbɯ̟ᵝɾʲi]

Noun

独楽(こまつぶり) • (komatsuburi)  (kyūjitai 獨樂)

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) Same as こま (koma) above

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
独	楽
Grade: 5	Grade: 2
irregular

Alternative spelling
獨樂 (kyūjitai)

Additional older form of koma above, attested in the Wamyō Ruijushō (938 CE).

Compound of 高麗 (Koma, “Goryeo; China; foreign lands”) +‎ 作り (tsukuri, “making; made thing”, the 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 作(つく)る (tsukuru, “to make”)).[1]

Pronunciation

• (Irregular reading)
• IPA^(key): [ko̞ma̠t͡sɨᵝkɯ̟ᵝɾʲi]

Noun

独楽(こまつくり) • (komatsukuri)  (kyūjitai 獨樂)

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) Same as こま (koma) above

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
独	楽
Grade: 5	Grade: 2
irregular

Alternative spelling
獨樂 (kyūjitai)

Ancient alternative to koma above. Probably from 紡錘 (tsumu, “a spindle”, root of the verb 紡む (tsumugu), “to spin thread or yarn”) +‎ 繰り (kuri, “winding”, the 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 繰(く)る (kuru, “to wind something onto something else”)).[2][3]

Occasionally also encountered with rendaku as tsumuguri.

Pronunciation

• (Irregular reading)
• IPA^(key): [t͡sɨᵝmɯ̟ᵝkɯ̟ᵝɾʲi]

Noun

独楽(つむくり) • (tsumukuri)  (kyūjitai 獨樂)

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) Same as こま (koma) above

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
独	楽
どく Grade: 5	らく Grade: 2
goon

Alternative spelling
獨樂 (kyūjitai)

From Middle Chinese 獨樂 (MC duk̚ lɑk̚).

Pronunciation

• On’yomi: Goon
• (Tokyo) どくらく [dòkúrákú] (Heiban – [0])[2]
• IPA^(key): [do̞kɯ̟ᵝɾa̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Adjective

独(どく)楽(らく) • (dokuraku)  (kyūjitai 獨樂)

1. fun or entertaining for one person alone

Usage notes

Used attributively with the particle の (no).

Noun

独(どく)楽(らく) • (dokuraku)  (kyūjitai 獨樂)

1. something fun or entertaining for one person alone
2. (uncommon) Same as こま (koma) above

References

1. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
3. 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN