Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A meaningless expression prefixed in Japanese poetry to other words for the sake of euphony.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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_Nubatama-no_ (a "pillow-word") is written with characters signifying "like the black fruits of _Karasu - [= O] gi_;" and the ancient phrase "_nubatama no yo_" therefore may be said to have the same meaning as our expressions "jet-black night," or
The Romance of the Milky Way And Other Studies & Stories Lafcadio Hearn 1877
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[Footnote 8: _Hisakata-no_ is a "pillow-word" used by the old poets in relation to celestial objects; and it is often difficult to translate.
The Romance of the Milky Way And Other Studies & Stories Lafcadio Hearn 1877
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The pillow-word in the third line (_maso-kagami_) is untranslatable.] -- And yet it has been gravely asserted that the old Japanese poets could find no beauty in starry skies! ...
The Romance of the Milky Way And Other Studies & Stories Lafcadio Hearn 1877
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