俣海松

Old Japanese

Etymology

From 俣 (mata, “crotch, fork”) +‎ 海松 (mi₁ru, “Codium fragile”), from the seaweed's many-branched structure.

Noun

俣海松 (matami₁ru) (kana またみる)

1. Synonym of 海松 (mi₁ru): green sea or dead man's fingers (Codium fragile)
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 13, poem 3301:
     , text here

     神風之伊勢之海之朝奈伎爾來依深海松暮奈藝爾來因俣海松深海松乃深目師吾乎俣海松乃復去反都麻等不言登可聞思保世流君

     kamukaze no₂ Ise no₂ umi₁ no₂ asanagi₁ ni ki₁yo₂ru pukami₁ru yupunagi₁ ni ki₁yo₂ru matami₁ru pukami₁ru no₂ pukame₂si ware wo matami₁ru no₂ mata yuki₁ kape₁ri tuma to₂ ipazi to₂ kamo₁ omoposeru ki₁mi₁

     At the sea of Ise of the divine wind, fukamiru (deep seaweed) which being draft into the morning calm, matamiru (forked seaweed) and fukamiru which being draft into the evening calm; against me who deepened [the affection toward you] like them, perhaps don't you come and return again like matamiru and call me your wife, my darling?

     [Note: matamiru here puns to また見る (mata mi₁ru, “to see again”), relating to commuter marriage customs in ancient Japan.]