Where does “山姥” come from?
山姥 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 山, from Japanese 陰, from Middle Chinese 陰.
山姥 (Japanese): a mountain hag; a yama-uba
Definitions
- a mountain hag; a yama-uba
Ancestry of “山姥”, step by step
山姥 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Japanese 山
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 山 | a mountain or hill; a mine; a heap, pile |
| 2 | Japanese | 陰 | shadow, shade; hidden side; yin |
| 3 | Middle Chinese | 陰 | — |
via Japanese 姥
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 姥 | an old woman |