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八十島 (やそしま) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

八や十そ島しま

Meanings

1

noun

many islands

archaic

Archaic term for a large number of islands; not used in modern everyday Japanese. Found in classical literature and poetry.

古こ事じ記きには「八や十そ島しま」という表ひょう現げんが見みられる。
The expression '八十島' (many islands) appears in the Kojiki.

Kanji

八eight, eight radical (no. 12)
十ten
島island

Similar words

多おおくの島しま
Modern equivalent meaning 'many islands'; 八十島 is an archaic, poetic term.

Etymology

From 八十 (やそ, 'eighty', often used to mean 'many' in old Japanese) + 島 (しま, 'island'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning 'many islands'.