also: さざれ · さざら
Prefix used to indicate something is small, fine, or delicate. Usually written in kana. The reading さざら is a rare voiced variant.
A lake surface with small ripples.
Only with reading ささら
Archaic noun meaning a fine or delicate pattern. Restricted to the reading ささら. Cross-referenced with 細形.
See also: 細形
Only with reading さざれ
Abbreviation of 細石 (さざれいし), meaning a small stone or pebble. Restricted to the reading さざれ. Often appears in the compound さざれ石.
See also: さざれ石
Fine snow is falling.
In old documents, there are examples where 細ら is used to mean a fine pattern.
Pebbles are laid out in the garden.
The national anthem 'Kimigayo' includes the phrase 'さざれ石の巌となりて' (pebbles grow into a boulder).
Kanji form for the reading さざれ; used in the abbreviation sense 'pebble'.
Abbreviated kanji form; can be read as ささら or さざれ depending on context.
Rare voiced variant of the prefix; it is a reading for 細ら/細.
Kana spelling for the noun sense 'pebble', often seen in the phrase さざれ石.
Derived from the root ささ (small, fine) with suffixes -ら or -れ. The reading さざら/さざれ shows rendaku voicing. The prefix sense is ancient, while the noun senses are specialized or abbreviated uses.