黄泉よみ

noun

underworld; land of the dead; Hades

Refers to the mythological realm of the dead in Japanese tradition, often contrasted with the living world. Used in classical and literary contexts.

• 古こ事じ記きには、イザナミが黄泉よみの国くにへ行いく話はなしがある。

  In the Kojiki, there is a story about Izanami going to the land of the dead.

noun

underground spring

Only with reading こうせん

Obsolete original meaning, read as こうせん. Not used in modern Japanese.

• 「黄こう泉せん」をこうせんと読よむと、地ち下かの泉いずみを指さす古ふるい用よう法ほうになる。

  When read as こうせん, 黄泉 refers to an old usage meaning an underground spring.