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垢衣 (こうい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

垢こう衣い

こ

う

い

Meanings

1

noun

dirty clothes; grimy clothes

archaic

Archaic term for soiled or filthy garments; not used in contemporary speech. Found in classical texts.

古こ典てんでは、旅たびの僧そうが垢こう衣いをまとう姿すがたが描えがかれる。
In classical literature, a traveling monk is depicted wearing dirty clothes.

Kanji

垢dirt, grime, earwax
衣garment, clothes, dressing

Similar words

汚よごれ物もの
Modern term for soiled or dirty laundry; 垢衣 is its archaic equivalent.

Etymology

Compound of 垢 (kō, 'dirt, grime') and 衣 (i, 'clothing'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.