神酒

Japanese

神酒 (shinshu, miki, miwa): two bottles of sacramental sake used as a Shinto offering.

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
神 酒
しん
Grade: 3		 しゅ
Grade: 3
on’yomi

Possibly from Middle Chinese compound 神酒 (ʑiɪn t͡sɨuX, literally “god + wine”).

Alternatively, coined in Japan of Middle Chinese-derived elements, as a compound of 神 (shin, “god, spirit”) +‎ 酒 (shu, “wine, liquor, alcohol”).

The individual character readings are kan'on shin + goon shu, suggesting either an innovation in the reading after borrowing, or a Japanese coinage.

Pronunciation

Noun

神酒 (hiragana しんしゅ, rōmaji shinshu)

  1. sacramental sake used in a Shinto ceremony
  2. ambrosia, nectar
Synonyms

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
神 酒
み
Grade: 3		 き
Grade: 3
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Kojiki of 712 CE. Compound of 神 (mi, “honorific prefix used in spiritual contexts”) +‎ 酒 (ki, “wine, liquor, alcohol”, ancient root, not found in many words).[1][2][3]

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

  • 御酒

Noun

神酒 (hiragana みき, rōmaji miki)

  1. sacramental sake used in a Shinto ceremony
  2. ambrosia, nectar
Usage notes

In Shinto contexts, often prefixed with the honorific o- as 御神酒, 大御酒 (omiki), or ō- “great” as 大神酒 (ōmiki).

Synonyms

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
神 酒
み
Grade: 3		 わ
Grade: 3
Irregular

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshū of 759 CE. Compound of 神 (mi, “honorific prefix used in spiritual contexts”) +‎ わ (wa, a morpheme of uncertain derivation).[1][2][3] The final wa may be related to 泡 (awa, “bubble”) in reference to the bubbles of fermentation (compare 泡盛 (awamori, “Okinawan rice-based strong spirits”, literally “lots of bubbles”)), but this is only speculation.

Pronunciation

  • (Irregular reading)
    • IPA(key): [mʲiɰᵝa̠]

Alternative forms

  • 御酒

Noun

神酒 (hiragana みわ, rōmaji miwa)

  1. (obsolete) sacramental sake used in a Shinto ceremony
  2. (obsolete) ambrosia, nectar
Usage notes

The miwa reading appears to be obsolete.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. 1 2 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  3. 1 2 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
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