紅葉の錦

紅葉の錦

Japanese

Kanji in this term
紅	葉	錦
もみじ		にしき Grade: S
Grade: 6	Grade: 3
jukujikun		kun’yomi

Etymology

Literally “a brocade of turned leaves”.

Noun

紅葉(もみじ)の錦(にしき) • (momiji no nishiki) ^{←もみぢのにしき (momidi no nisiki)?}

1. autumn leaves forming a beautiful brocade
   • 905–914, Kokin Wakashū (book 9, poem 420, also Hyakunin Isshu, poem 24)

     このたびは幣(ぬさ)も取(と)りあへず手(た)向(むけ)山(やま)紅葉(もみぢ)のにしき神(かみ)のまにまに

     kono tabi wa nusa mo toriaezu tamuke-yama momiji no nishiki kami no mani-mani

     This time, for the journey I was unable to prepare offerings. Gods of Mount Tamuke, may the brocade of autumn leaves serve as a gift for you to enjoy.[1]

2. (figuratively) a beautifully-woven clothing
   • c. 1005–07, Shūi Wakashū (book 3, poem 232)

     あさまだき嵐(あらし)の山(やま)のさむければ紅葉(もみぢ)の錦(にしき)きぬ人(ひと)ぞなき

     asa madaki Arashi-no-yama no samukereba momiji no nishiki kinu hito zo naki

     So cold is Mount Arashi before morning comes that there is none who does not wear his maple-leaf brocade.[2]

See also

• 錦(きん)繡(しゅう) (kinshū)

References

1. Robert Borgen (1994) Sugawara no Michizane and the Early Heian Court, illustrated, reprint edition, University of Hawaii Press, →ISBN, page 262
2. P.G. O'Neill (2014) Collected Writings of P.G. O'Neill (Collected Writings of Modern Western Scholars on Japan), volume 4, reprint edition, Routledge, →ISBN, page 198