閑古鳥が歌う

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Japanese

Kanji in this term
閑 古 鳥 歌
かん
Grade: S 		こ
Grade: 2 		とり > どり
Grade: 2 		うた
Grade: 2
kan'on kun'yomi

Etymology

Phrase composed of 閑古鳥 (kankodori, “cuckoo bird”) + が (ga, subject particle) 歌う (utau, “to sing”).[1] Literally, “the cuckoo-bird sings”.

Used as a metaphor for loneliness or desolateness; see the 閑古鳥 (kankodori) entry for more. Compare English crickets, which similarly uses an animal noise to allude to a lack of response or activity.

Attested since 1772.[1] Appears to be largely replaced by the younger version, 閑古鳥が鳴く (kankodori ga naku, literally “the cuckoo bird calls”), with this older version not listed in some dictionaries.[2][3]

Pronunciation

Phrase

閑(かん)古(こ)鳥(どり)が歌(うた)う • (kankodori ga utau) 

  1. (figurative, uncommon, possibly archaic) describes a state of having few visitors, of being lonesome, desolate, or unpopular, especially in business
    Synonym: (common) 閑古鳥が鳴く (kankodori ga naku)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 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, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  3. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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