おとぎ

お

と

ぎ

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

attending; keeping company; serving a noble

polite (teineigo)usually written using kana alone

Polite noun for attending upon someone, especially a noble or superior, or acting as a companion/confidant. Often used in historical or formal contexts.

姫ひめ君ぎみのおとぎをする役やく目めを仰おおせつかった。
I was ordered to attend upon the princess.

noun

fairy tale

usually written using kana aloneabbreviation

Abbreviation of おとぎ話 (fairy tale). Used mainly in compounds or as a short form in casual contexts.

Kanji

御honorable, manipulate, govern
伽nursing, attending, entertainer

Related words

おとぎ話ばなし
The full form meaning 'fairy tale'; おとぎ is its abbreviation.
お供とも
Means 'accompanying' or 'attendant', but is more common and less formal than おとぎ in the sense of attending a noble.

Word family

おとぎの国くに
fairyland; never-never land

Built from

お+伽とぎ

Written forms

おとぎUsage24%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 御伽 and お伽 are rare and mainly seen in historical or literary contexts.
御お伽とぎUsage53%
Formal kanji spelling; rarely used in modern writing.
お伽とぎUsage23%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; also rare.
オトギUsage1%

Etymology

Derived from the verb とぐ (解く) with the honorific prefix お, originally meaning 'to keep someone company and help them pass the time', especially by telling stories. The 'fairy tale' sense comes from abbreviation of おとぎ話.