武ぶ骨こつ

Word family

• 無ぶ骨こつ者もの

  boor; rustic; lout

• 無ぶ骨こつ一いっ徹てつ

  rustic and stubborn; boorishly obstinate

Written forms

• 武ぶ骨こつUsage34%

  Standard kanji spelling. The 武 (martial) component suggests a rough, unpolished quality.

• 無ぶ骨こつUsage66%

  Alternate kanji spelling using 無 (without) instead of 武 (martial). Less common than 武骨 in modern usage.

Etymology

The reading ぶこつ arose by reading the spelling 無骨 on’yomi; that spelling had represented こちなし, “uncouth, tactless.” 武骨 is a variant spelling, and the modern word denotes roughness or lack of refinement.