勾こう股こ弦げんの定てい理り

Meanings

noun

Pythagorean theorem

archaic

Archaic term for the Pythagorean theorem, now almost entirely replaced by ピタゴラスの定理. Found in older mathematical texts.

Kanji

勾be bent, slope, capture
股thigh, crotch
弦bowstring, chord, hypotenuse
定determine, fix, establish
理logic, arrangement, reason
鈎hook, barb, gaff

Related words

ピタゴラスの定てい理り
The modern standard term for the Pythagorean theorem; 勾股弦の定理 is its archaic predecessor.

Built from

勾こう股こ弦げん+定てい理り

Written forms

勾こう股こ弦げんの定てい理り
Archaic kanji spelling for the Pythagorean theorem; the modern standard is ピタゴラスの定理.
鈎こう股こ弦げんの定てい理り
Variant archaic spelling using 鈎 instead of 勾.

Etymology

From Chinese mathematical terminology, where 勾 (base), 股 (height), and 弦 (hypotenuse) refer to the sides of a right triangle. The term was adopted into Japanese mathematics before Western influence.