Where does “komainu” come from?
komainu (English) comes from Japanese 狛犬, from Japanese 犬, from Old Japanese いぬ.
komainu (English): Carved stone statues of stylized lions that guard the entrance to some Japanese temples or shrines
Definitions
- Carved stone statues of stylized lions that guard the entrance to some Japanese temples or shrines
Ancestry of “komainu”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 狛犬 | A lion-dog or shrine dog; a guardian statue seen in temples. Usually found in pairs, one on either side of an entryway, one with the mouth open to represent the syllable a or the start of things, and the other with the mouth closed to represent the syllable un or the end of things (similar to the ph |
| 2 | Japanese | 犬 | dog; canine; one who is loyal; a spy |
| 3 | Old Japanese | いぬ | — |