露西亜

Japanese

Kanji in this term
露	西	亜
ろ Grade: S (ateji)	し Grade: 2 (ateji)	あ Grade: S (ateji)
kan'on	irregular	kan'on

Alternative spelling
露西亞 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Borrowing from Russian Росси́я (Rossíja).^[1]^[2]^[3]

The spelling is ateji (当て字), adopted in 1877 after diplomatic pressure from Russia to change from the previous 魯西亜 spelling, out of concern that the initial 魯 (ro) character expressed a sense of foolish. However, the 露 (ro) character was chosen for its sense of dew, from the political metaphor that the morning dew will disappear as the sun rises, wherein "sun" refers to Japan.^[4]

The use of 西亜 for the latter portion is likely influenced by Chinese phonetics, and historical use of these characters to spell out the -siya portion of Rossiya in sources such as a bible translated into Chinese in 1864.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) ロシア [róꜜshìà] (Atamadaka – [1])^[5]
IPA^(key): [ɾo̞ɕia̠]

Proper noun

露西亜(ロシア) • (Roshia)

Dated spelling of ロシア.: Russia (A transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and North Asia)

Derived terms

露(ろ) (Ro, abbreviation)

References

^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 [Kōjien] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ 渡辺雅司 (Masaji Watanabe) (2003) ユーラシア研究所ブックレット編集委員会 (Yūrashia Kenkyūjo Bukkuretto Henshū Iinkai, Institute of Eurasian Studies, Booklet Editing Committee), editor, 明治日本とロシアの影 [Meiji Japan and the Shadow of Russia] (in Japanese), 東洋書店 (Tōyō Shoten), →ISBN, pages 4-5
^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[KDJ-1] Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[2] Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 [Kōjien] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN

[3] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[4] 渡辺雅司 (Masaji Watanabe) (2003) ユーラシア研究所ブックレット編集委員会 (Yūrashia Kenkyūjo Bukkuretto Henshū Iinkai, Institute of Eurasian Studies, Booklet Editing Committee), editor, 明治日本とロシアの影 [Meiji Japan and the Shadow of Russia] (in Japanese), 東洋書店 (Tōyō Shoten), →ISBN, pages 4-5

[SMK5-5] Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

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