海千山千

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Japanese

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Kanji in this term
うみ
Grade: 2
せん
Grade: 1
やま
Grade: 1
せん
Grade: 1
kun'yomi on'yomi kun'yomi on'yomi
Alternative spelling
海千山千 (kyūjitai)
 海千山千 on Japanese Wikipedia

Etymology

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Yojijukugo (四字熟語). According to legends, a (ja, snake) who lived in the (umi, sea) for a 千年 (sennen, thousand years) and in the (yama, mountains) a thousand years could turn into a (ryū, dragon). See also the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

Pronunciation

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  • (Tokyo) みせんやません [ùmíséń yámáséń] (Heiban – [0])
  • (Tokyo) みせんやません [úꜜmìsèǹ yàmàsèǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
  • IPA(key): [ɯ̟mʲise̞ɰ̃ ja̠ma̠sẽ̞ɴ]

Noun

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(うみ)(せん)(やま)(せん) (umisen yamasen

  1. craftiness
    (うみ)(せん)(やま)(せん)のプレイボーイ
    umisen yamasen no pureibōi
    a sly playboy; a womanizer
  2. a crafty person