Japanese [ edit ]

孫の手 on Japanese Wikipedia on Japanese Wikipedia

孫の手

Etymology [ edit ]

From 麻姑 (Mako, “Magu”, a nymph in Chinese mythology) +‎ の (no, possessive particle) +‎ 手 (te, “hand”), literally “Mako's hand/claw”. Legend has it that Mako's fingernails resembled bird claws.

Compare the following verses in a poem by Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai:

This term was remodelled by folk etymology into the current form of 孫 (mago, “grandchild”) +‎ の +‎ 手, i.e. literally “grandchild's hand”.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Kun’yomi ( Tokyo ) ま ごの ​ て [màgó nóꜜtè] (Nakadaka – [3]) [1] ( Tokyo ) ま ごのて ​ [màgó nó téꜜ] (Odaka – [4]) [1] IPA (key) : [ma̠ɡo̞ no̞ te̞]



Noun [ edit ]

孫 ( まご ) の 手 ( て ) • (mago no te)

a backscratcher 2017, 40代になると巻き起こる老化怪奇現象の対処術 生 ( う ) まれて 初 ( はじ ) めて、お 婆 ( ばあ ) さんが、 孫 ( まご ) の 手 ( て ) を 使 ( つか ) って 背中 ( せなか ) を 掻 ( か ) く 気持 ( きも ) ちが 分 ( わ ) かったっす。 Umarete hajimete, obāsan ga, magonote o tsukatte senaka o kaku kimochi ga wakattassu. For the first time in her life, the old lady understood what it feels like to use a backscratcher to scratch her back.

Descendants [ edit ]

→ Korean: 효자손 ( hyojason ) ( calque )

References [ edit ]