ひこ

See also: ひご

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spelling
彦

⟨pi₁ ko₁⟩ → */pʲikʷo/ → /fiko/ → /hiko/

From Old Japanese.

Originally a compound of 日 (hi, “sun”, prefix or appellation used in reference to the imperial family) +‎ 子 (ko, “child”).^[1][2][3]

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ひこ [hìkóꜜ] (Odaka – [2])^[3]
• (Tokyo) ひこ [hìkó] (Heiban – [0])^[3]
• IPA^(key): [çiko̞]

Noun

ひこ • (hiko) ^{←ひこ (fiko)?}

1. (euphemistic, poetic) a boy, young man; especially:

   Antonym: ひめ (hime, “princess”, literally “sun-woman”)

   1. a prince
   2. (historical) a chieftain in ancient Japan
      • 3rd century: 魏志倭人伝 (page 105-106)^[4]

        其大官曰卑狗、副曰卑奴母離

        The great palace is called peek woah; it is also called peek woah modee.

Usage notes

Usually found as a suffix in male given names.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 彦帯(ひこおび) (hikoobi)
• 彦星(ひこぼし) (Hikoboshi)
• 天彦(あまびこ) (amabiko)
• 雨彦(あまびこ) (amabiko)
• 苺(イチゴ) (ichigo) (possibly)
• 喉彦(のどひこ) (nodohiko), 喉彦(のどびこ) (nodobiko)
• 山彦(やまびこ) (yamabiko)

See also

• 王子(おうじ) (ōji, “prince”)
• 王(おう) (ō, “king”)
• 息子(むすこ) (musuko, “son”)
• 男(おとこ) (otoko, “man”)
• 若君(わかぎみ) (wakagimi)

Etymology 2

Alternative spelling
曽孫

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ひこ [hìkó] (Heiban – [0])^[3]
• (Tokyo) ひこ [hìkóꜜ] (Odaka – [2])^[3]
• IPA^(key): [çiko̞]

Noun

ひこ • (hiko) ^{←ひこ (fiko)?}

1. great-grandchild

Etymology 3

Alternative spelling
孫

Appears in the Wamyō Ruijushō.^[3]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [çiko̞]

Noun

ひこ • (hiko) ^{←ひこ (fiko)?}

1. (obsolete) grandchild

Etymology 4

Alternative spelling
小舌

Appears in James Curtis Hepburn's dictionary.^[3]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [çiko̞]

Noun

ひこ • (hiko) ^{←ひこ (fiko)?}

1. (obsolete) uvula

   Synonym: のどびこ (nodobiko)

References

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
4. Ishihara, Michihiro (1985 May 16) [c. 3rd century] Shintei Gishi Wajinden: Chūgoku Seishi Nihonden (1) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN, pages 105-106