まぐわい

ま

ぐ

わ

い

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

sexual intercourse

usually written using kana alonearchaic

Archaic term for sexual intercourse; in modern Japanese, words like 性交 or セックス are used instead.

古こ典てん文ぶん学がくには「まぐわい」という言こと葉ばが性せい交こうの意い味みで出でてくることが

ある

。

In classical literature, the word まぐわい sometimes appears meaning sexual intercourse.

2

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

exchanging looks; communicating love through eye contact

usually written using kana alonearchaic

Archaic sense referring to lovers communicating silently through eye contact; not used in modern everyday language.

昔むかしの恋愛物語れんあいものがたりでは、まぐわいによって互たがいの気き持もちを確たしかめ合あう場ば面めんが描えがかれる。
In old love stories, scenes are depicted where lovers confirm each other's feelings through exchanging looks.

Written forms

まぐわいUsage100%
Kana spelling is standard; the kanji forms 目合ひ and 目合 are archaic and rarely used.
目合ひまぐわい
Historical kanji spelling; not used in modern Japanese.
目合まぐわい
Abbreviated historical kanji spelling; not used in modern Japanese.

Kanji

目eye, class, look
合fit, suit, join

Similar words

性せい交こう
Modern, clinical term for sexual intercourse, unlike the archaic まぐわい.
セックス
Common modern loanword for sexual intercourse, used in everyday conversation.
目め配くばせ
Modern word for exchanging meaningful glances, but without the archaic romantic nuance of まぐわい.

Etymology

Derived from classical Japanese; the kanji 目合 (eye + meet) reflect the original sense of meeting eyes, which later extended to sexual union. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.