fifth court rank
Historical term from the Japanese court rank system (位階). Refers to the fifth rank, often subdivided into senior (正五位) and junior (従五位) grades. Used in historical contexts.
His ancestor held the fifth court rank.
black-crowned night heron
Abbreviation of 五位鷺 (ごいさぎ). Refers to the bird Nycticorax nycticorax. The name is said to derive from the bird's appearance resembling a courtier of the fifth rank. Used in ornithological and everyday contexts.
See also: ゴイサギ
five ranks; five stages
Buddhist term referring to five stages or ranks in various doctrinal contexts, such as the five ranks of enlightenment in Zen or the five stages of the path. Domain-specific and rarely used outside Buddhist literature.
In the evening, the night herons start calling by the pond.
In Zen Buddhism, the process of practice is sometimes explained by dividing it into five ranks.
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
The kanji 五 (five) and 位 (rank/position) directly give the meaning 'fifth rank'. The bird name is an abbreviation of 五位鷺, with folk etymology linking the heron's plumage to the robes of a fifth-rank courtier.