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一寸法師 (いっすんぼうし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

一いっ寸すん法ぼう師し

い

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す

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ぼ

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し

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

dwarf; midget; elf; Tom Thumb

Refers to a very small person, often in a folkloric or fairy-tale context. Can be used figuratively for someone of extremely short stature.

彼かれはまるで一いっ寸すん法師ぼうしのように小こ柄がらだ。
He is as small as a dwarf.

2

noun

Issun-bōshi (Japanese fairytale)

Proper noun referring to the titular character of the Japanese folktale 'Issun-bōshi', a boy only one sun (about 3 cm) tall who goes on adventures.

一いっ寸すん法師ぼうしはお椀わんの船ふねに乗のって旅たびに出でた。
Issun-bōshi set out on a journey in a boat made from a bowl.

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
寸measurement, tenth of a shaku, a little
法method, law, rule
師expert, teacher, master

Etymology

From 一寸 (issun, 'one sun', about 3 cm) + 法師 (hōshi, 'Buddhist priest'). The name literally means 'one-inch priest', reflecting the character's tiny size.