aborted fetus; miscarried fetus; stillborn fetus
Only with reading みずこ / みずご
Refers to a fetus that was aborted, miscarried, or stillborn. Often used in the context of 水子地蔵 (Mizuko Jizō), a Buddhist deity for the protection of such souls.
水子地蔵に手を合わせた。
I prayed to the Mizuko Jizō.
彼女は
Dialectal use in the Chūbu region for a newborn baby. Not standard Japanese; in standard Japanese, 新生児 or 赤ちゃん is used.
この辺りでは、生まれたばかりの赤ん坊を「みずこ」と呼ぶことがある。
Around here, a newborn baby is sometimes called 'mizuko'.
She performs memorial services for her miscarried child.
memorial service for a miscarried or stillborn child
Ksitigarbha statue for miscarried or aborted fetuses
Standard kanji spelling for the primary sense of aborted, miscarried, or stillborn fetus.
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form; Also has a rare reading ちし.
The kanji 水 (water) and 子 (child) combine to mean 'water child', likely referring to the fluid-filled environment of the womb or the idea of a soul returning to water. The exact origin is uncertain.