まなこ

Japanese

Alternative spelling
眼

Etymology

Compound of 目(ま) (ma, “eye”, ancient combining form of modern 目(め) (me)) + な (na, Old Japanese possessive particle) + 子(こ) (ko, “child”, diminutive suffix).

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) まなこ [máꜜnàkò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]^[2]^[3]
IPA^(key): [ma̠na̠ko̞]

Noun

まなこ • (manako) ^{←まなこ (manako)^?}

the pupil
(by extension) the eyes
- c. 790: Daihannya-kyō Ongi (Ishiyamadera manuscript, page 34)
  眼晴 [...] 倭言麻那古
  In Japanese, the eyes are called "manako".

References

^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1974), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Second edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō
^ Hirayama, Teruo, editor (1960), 全国アクセント辞典 (Zenkoku Akusento Jiten, “Nationwide Accent Dictionary”) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Tōkyōdō, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN