神楽

See also: 神樂

Japanese

Etymology 1

神楽 (kagura): a performance of 八王子の舞 (Hachiōji no Mai) at Tokuyama Shrine.
Kanji in this term
神 楽
かむ > か
Grade: 3
くら > ぐら
Grade: 2
irregular jukujikun
Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

/kamu kura/ → /kankura/ → /kaŋɡura/ → /kaɡura/

From Old Japanese.

Originally a compound of 神 (kamu, “spirit, god”, combining form) +‎ 座 (kura, “seat”).[1][2][3] The kura changes to gura as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

The original compound referred to the place used to call down the 神 (kami, “spirits and gods”) to earth, when a 巫女 (miko, “shrine maiden”) would act as a medium for the kami. Over time, the term came to refer to the music and dance of the ceremony. The use of the 楽 character here is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓), reflecting the change in meaning.

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) か​ぐら [káꜜgùrà] (Atamadaka – [1])[3]
  • IPA(key): [ka̠ɡɯ̟ᵝɾa̠]

Noun

神(か)楽(ぐら) • (kagura) 

  1. (Shinto) sacred dancing and music performed at Shintō ceremonies, often by miko, to honor Shintō spirits and gods
    Synonym: 神遊び (kamiasobi)
  2. bugaku (a type of traditional dancing and music) performed by regular people in front of a Shintō shrine
    Synonyms: 里神楽 (sato kagura), 太太神楽 (daidai kagura)
  3. a type of Noh dancing and music
  4. a type of kabuki musical accompaniment
  5. Short for 御神楽 (o-kagura): a flat-topped house initially built with one storey, with additional storeys added later
Derived terms

Proper noun

神(か)楽(ぐら) • (Kagura) 

  1. a place name
  2. a surname
  3. a female given name

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
神 楽
かみ
Grade: 3
がく
Grade: 2
yutōyomi
Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 神 (kami, “spirit, god”) +‎ 楽 (gaku, “music”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ka̠mʲiɡa̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

神(かみ)楽(がく) • (kamigaku) 

  1. (rare) a type of dance in a Noh play, performed by the leading 翁 (okina, “old man”) character

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
神 楽
じん
Grade: 3
らく
Grade: 2
on’yomi
Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

Probably from Middle Chinese 神樂 (MC zyin lak, literally “god, spirit + happy”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [d͡ʑĩnɾa̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Proper noun

神(じん)楽(らく) • (Jinraku) 

  1. a place name
  2. a surname

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
神 楽
かむ > か
Grade: 3
らき
Grade: 2
irregular
Alternative spelling
神樂 (kyūjitai)

Unknown.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ka̠ɾa̠kʲi]

Proper noun

神(か)楽(らき) • (Karaki) 

  1. a surname

References

  1. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  3. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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