四十雀

Japanese

Kanji in this term
四	十	雀
し Grade: 1	じゅう Grade: 1	から Jinmeiyō
on’yomi		irregular

シジュウカラ or Japanese tit, Parus minor

Etymology

The しじゅう (shijū), in しじゅうから (shijūkara), represents the sound that the bird makes. The 四十 kanji, are purely chosen for their sound. (i.e. they are ateji) -kara/-gara, written 雀, appears in the name of some tits, although 雀 actually means sparrow, and kara/gara not being a reading of 雀. Compare 小雀(こがら) (kogara, “willow tit”), エボシガラ (eboshigara, “tufted timouse”), and 山雀(やまがら) (yamagara, “varied tit”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しじゅ​うから [shìjúꜜùkàrà] (Nakadaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ɕiʑɨᵝːka̠ɾa̠]

Noun

四(し)十(じゅう)雀(から) or 四十雀(シジュウカラ) • (shijūkara) ^{←しじふから (sizifukara) or シジフカラ (sizifukara)?}

1. a Japanese tit (Parus minor)

See also

• 四(シ)十(ジュウ)雀(カラ)雁(ガン) (shijūkaragan)