命乞い

Compound of 命(いのち) (inochi, “life”) + 乞(こ)い (koi, 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 乞(こ)う (kou, “to beg”)). The koi changes to goi as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

• (Tokyo) いのちごい (Heiban – )^[1][2][3]
• (Tokyo) いのちごい (Nakadaka – )^[1][2][3]
• IPA^(key):

命(いのち)乞(ご)い • (inochigoi) ^{←いのちごひ (inotigofi)?}

1. the act of begging for mercy
   • 1954, Kensaku Shimaki, “黑猫 [Black Cat]”, in 赤蛙 : 他八篇‎, Tōkyō: Kadokawa Shoten, page 181:

     私(わたし)は母(はは)に黑(くろ)猫(ねこ)の命(いのち)乞(ご)ひをしてみようかと思(おも)つた。私(わたし)は彼(かれ)はそれに値(あたひ)する奴(やつ)だと思(おも)つた。

     Watashi wa haha ni kuroneko no inochigoi o shite miyō ka to omotta. Watashi wa kare wa sore ni ataisuru yatsu da to omotta.

     I thought I would beg my mother for the black cat's life. I thought he was worth it.

命(いのち)乞(ご)いする • (inochigoi suru) ^{←いのちごひ (inotigofi)?}intransitive suru (stem 命(いのち)乞(ご)いし (inochigoi shi), past 命(いのち)乞(ご)いした (inochigoi shita))

1. to beg for mercy; to beg to have one's own life spared

   敵(てき)に命(いのち)乞(ご)いする

   teki ni inochigoi suru

   to beg for enemies' mercy

2. (archaic) to pray to deities for longevity