はしくれ
Japanese
[edit]| Alternative spelling |
|---|
| 端くれ |
Etymology
[edit]Compound of 端 (hashi, “edge; piece of something”) + 塊 (kure, “lump, chunk”).[1][2] Compare similar usage of English lump.
First cited to 1694.[1]
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]- [from 1792] small fragment or piece of something
- [from 1694] someone or something belonging to a certain group or category, but otherwise nondescript and not worth attention
- [date uncertain] (more specifically) unimportant or novice member of a group, rank and file, as opposed to a full-fledged member
- 2005, 藤原正彦 (Fujiwara Masahiko), translated by Giles Murray, 国家の品格 (Kokka no Hinkaku) [The Dignity of the Nation, Bilingual edition], page 4:
- 数学者のはしくれである私が、論理の力を疑うようになったのです。
- Sūgakusha no hashikure de aru watashi ga, ronri no chikara o utagau yō ni natta no desu.
- Here I was, a nothing mathematician who had ended up questioning the value of logic!
- 数学者のはしくれである私が、論理の力を疑うようになったのです。
- 2002, 角野栄子 (Kadono Eiko), 魔女の宅急便 (Majo no Takkyūbin) [Kiki's Delivery Service], page 13:
- あたしだってかあさんのむすめです。魔女のはしくれです。
- Atashi datte kā-san no musume desu. Majo no hashikure desu.
- (please add an English translation of this example)
- あたしだってかあさんのむすめです。魔女のはしくれです。
Usage notes
[edit]Sense 2 is often used to express one's membership in a group in a non-boastful, humble manner.
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 “はしくれ”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten][1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
- ^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN