魔羅

Chinese

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• 魔

Etymology

From Sanskrit मार (māra, “killing; death; destroyer; demon”).

Pronunciation

Noun

魔羅

1. (Buddhism) mara (demon)

Derived terms

Descendants

Japanese

Etymology

Transcription of Sanskrit मार (Māra, “the Destroyer, the Evil One”). The kanji are ateji (当て字).

The shift from "Buddhist evil demon" to "penis" was originally slang use among monks, in reference to sexual desires distracting one from the path to enlightenment.

Some sources link this term to 放る (maru, “to excrete”). However, the verb maru refers to "excreting" bodily wastes in general, not just urination but also defecation, and some sources also list flatulation as an included sense. In addition, other nouns attested from Old Japanese that derive from verbs and end in -a appear to be the result of the action of the verb, which does not fit this case. Ultimately, the proposed connection between Sanskrit-derived mara ("penis") and Japonic-derived maru ("to excrete") appears to be a folk etymology, likely arising from the superficial similarity in forms.

First attested in the Nihon Ryōiki, in a section dated to the early 800s.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) まら​ (Odaka – )
• (Tokyo) ま​ら (Atamadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

• (Yamanashi) まら​ (Odaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) • (mara) 

1. (Buddhism) Mara: a Buddhist demon that personifies the "death" of spiritual life
2. (anatomy) penis

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:陰茎

   • 938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō, volume 2, page 45:

     玉茎 房内經云 玉茎 男陰名也 [...] 一云 麻良 [...]

     玉茎 房内經云 玉茎 男陰名也 [...] 一云 麻良 [...]

     Penis: The Classic of the Bedchamber calls it 'jade stalk', it is a name for the male sex organ One name mara

   • 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho, page 386:

     Mara. l, nancon. マラ. または, ナンコン (𨳯. または, 男根) 陰茎. 卑語.

     Mara. l, nancon. マラ. または, ナンコン (𨳯. または, 男根) 陰茎. 卑語.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

References

• Doi, Tadao (1603–1604) Hōyaku Nippo Jisho (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 1980, →ISBN.
• Minamoto, Shitagō with Kyōto Daigaku Bungakubu Kokugogaku Kokubungaku Kenkyūshitu (931–938) Shohon Shūsei Wamyō Ruijushō: Honbunhen (in Japanese), Kyōto: Rinsen, published 1968, →ISBN.

Kikai

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mara/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) (mara) 

1. (anatomy) penis

References

• 岩倉市郎 (1941) 喜界島方言集 [Kikai-jima Dialect Collection]‎ (in Japanese), 中央公論社, page 279

Kunigami

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maɾaː/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(らー) (marā) 

1. (anatomy) penis

Miyako

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mara/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) (mara) 

1. (anatomy) penis

Northern Amami-Oshima

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mara/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) (mara) 

1. (anatomy) penis

Okinawan

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mara/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) (mara) 

1. (anatomy) penis

Yaeyama

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mara/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) (mara) 

1. (anatomy) penis

Yonaguni

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mara/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) (mara) 

1. (anatomy) penis

Yoron

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魔羅 (mara).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mara/

Noun

魔(ま)羅(ら) (mara) 

1. (anatomy) penis