黄金

/wau komʉ/ → /wauɡomʉ/ → /wauɡon/ → /wɔːɡoɴ/ → /oːɡoɴ/

From Middle Chinese 黃金 (MC hwang kim, “yellow + metal”).

Compare modern Cantonese wong⁴ gam¹.

• (Tokyo) おーごん (Heiban – )^[1]
• IPA^(key):

黄(おう)金(ごん) • (ōgon) ^{←わうごん (waugon)?}

1. gold (Au) as a metal
2. gold as a colour

   Synonyms: 黄金色 (kogane iro), 金色 (konjiki, kin’iro)

3. money, more specifically the large 大判 (ōban) gold coins formerly used in Japan

This ōgon reading is the more-common Chinese derived-reading or 音読み (on’yomi) for this term.

/kʷau kimʉ/ → /kʷaukin/ → /kʷɔːkiɴ/ → /koːkiɴ/

From Middle Chinese 黃金 (MC hwang kim, “yellow + metal”).

Compare modern Min Nan reading hông-kim.

• (Tokyo) こーきん (Heiban – )
• IPA^(key):

黄(こう)金(きん) • (kōkin) ^{←くわうきん (kwaukin)?}

1. (obsolete) money
2. (obsolete) gold (Au) as a metal
3. (obsolete) gold as a colour

Shift from Old Japanese 黃金 (kugane).^[2]

Equivalent to a compound of 黄 (ko, combining form of ki, “yellow(-coloured)”) +‎ 金 (kane, “metal”). The kane changes to gane as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

• (Tokyo) こがね (Heiban – )^[1]
• IPA^(key):

黄(こ)金(がね) • (kogane) 

1. gold (Au) as a metal
2. money, more specifically the large 大判 (ōban) gold coins formerly used in Japan
3. Short for 黄金色 (kogane iro): gold as a colour

   Synonym: 金色 (kin’iro, konjiki)

4. Short for 黄金の泥 (kogane no dei): powdered gold suspended in a base and used as paint

   Synonym: 金泥 (kondei)

This kogane reading is the more-common 訓読み (kun’yomi) or native Japanese reading for this term.

Compound of 黄 (ki, “yellow(-coloured)”) +‎ 金 (kane, “metal”).^[3]

The kane changes to gane as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

• (Tokyo) きがね (Heiban – )
• IPA^(key):

黄(き)金(がね) • (kigane) 

1. (rare) gold (Au) as a metal
2. (rare) money, often referring more specifically to the large 大判 (ōban) or smaller 小判 (koban) gold coins formerly used in Japan