明明後日

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
明	明	後	日
しあさって
Grade: 2	Grade: 2	Grade: 2	Grade: 1
jukujikun

Alternative spelling
明々後日

Compound of し (shi, of uncertain derivation) +‎ 明後日 (asatte, “the day after tomorrow”).

The initial shi element is uncertain. Speculatively, this might be related to, or a shift from, intensifying prefix ひ (hi) found in some adjectives, such as ひ弱(よわ)い (hiyowai, “delicate, very weak”).

First cited to a text from 1275.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しあさって [shìásáꜜttè] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [ɕia̠sa̠t̚te̞]

Noun

明明後日(しあさって) • (shiasatte) 

1. [from 1275] (Tōkyō, Kansai, western Japan) three days from today, two days after tomorrow

   Synonym: (eastern Japan) 弥の明後日 (yanoasatte)

2. (Kantō, Hokkaidō, Mie, Hida Province) four days from today

Usage notes

This term and 弥の明後日 (yanoasatte) share a roughly complementary distribution between eastern and western Japan, wherein the terms alternate between meaning "three days from today" and "four days from today". Tokyo follows the Western Japan usage.

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
明	明	後	日
みょう Grade: 2	みょう Grade: 2	ご Grade: 2	にち Grade: 1
goon		tōon	goon

Alternative spelling
明々後日

Compound of 明 (myō, “next, one later”) +‎ 明後日 (myōgonichi, “day after tomorrow”).

First cited to the Nippo Jisho of 1603.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) みょーみょーごにち [myòómyóógóꜜnìchì] (Nakadaka – [5])
• IPA^(key): [mʲo̞ːmʲo̞ːɡo̞ɲ̟it͡ɕi]

Noun

明(みょう)明(みょう)後(ご)日(にち) • (myōmyōgonichi) ^{←みやうみやうごにち (myaumyaugoniti)?}

1. [from 1603] two days after tomorrow, three days hence