海豹

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Chinese

ocean; sea leopard; panther
simp. and trad.
(海豹) 		海 豹
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Pronunciation

Noun

海豹

  1. earless seal (Classifier: 隻／只 m c)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (海豹):

See also

Japanese

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海豹 (azarashi): a true seal, an earless seal.
Kanji in this term
海 豹
Grade: 2 Jinmeiyō
jukujikun
Alternative spelling
海豹 (kyūjitai)

Etymology 1

Originally a compound of Old Japanese elements 痣 (aza, “bruise”) +‎ 等 (ra, “lots of”, a pluralizer) +‎ 獣 (shi, “beast”, especially one used for meat). The bruise meaning was in reference to the spotted coat.

The kanji are jukujikun (熟字訓), from Chinese 海豹 (hǎibào, literally “sea leopard”).

Pronunciation

Noun

海豹(あざらし) or 海豹(アザラシ) • (azarashi) 

  1. a seal, specifically the earless seal or true seal
Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as アザラシ.

Note the distinction between 海豹 (azarashi) for seal, which has no external ear flaps, and 海驢 (ashika) for sea lion, which does have external ear flaps.

Derived terms
Derived terms
See also
See also

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
海 豹
かい
Grade: 2 		ひょう
Jinmeiyō
on’yomi
Alternative spelling
海豹 (kyūjitai)

/kaipeu/ → /kaifeu/ → /kaiheu/ → /kaihjoː/

From Middle Chinese 海豹 (hʌiX pˠauH, literally “sea + leopard”).

Pronunciation

Noun

海(かい)豹(ひょう) • (kaihyō) ←かいへう (kaifeu)?

  1. a seal, specifically the earless seal or true seal
Usage notes

The kaihyō reading appears to be much less common than azarashi above.

Derived terms
Derived terms

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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