Entry Data Structure #

This section explains the structure and format of Entries in the Kanchiin manuscript of the Ruiju Myōgishō (hereinafter Myōgishō).

It begins by defining key terms (and related concepts) such as Headword (掲出字, keishutsuji) and Original Glosses (注文, chūmon). Next, an example of an actual Entry is presented as an image (a facsimile). The structure of this Entry is then illustrated in an abstract and diagrammatic form. Finally, a transcription of the Entry shown in the image is provided.

(Regarding the Japanese reading of “注文,” although we have adopted “chūmon,” it may also be read as “chūbun” to explicitly indicate that it refers to annotations on characters or words.)

Structure of Entries #

Explanation of Terms #

The following explains the terms used to describe the constituent elements of Entries in the Myōgishō.

(The English terminology presented in this section is defined from a philological viewpoint and may therefore occasionally vary from data column names or terms used in other sections of this documentation.)

An Entry consists of a Headword and Original Glosses.

A Headword (掲出字) is also referred to as midashi, midashiji, hyōji, or hyōshutsushi. In Chinese, it is called zìtóu (字頭).

Original Glosses consist of the following components: Phonetic Gloss (音注, onchū), Semantic Gloss in Chinese (漢文義注, kanbun gichū), Japanese Native Reading (*wakun*) (和訓, wakun), Notes on Character Form (字体注, jitaichū), and Other.

A Phonetic Gloss is provided through methods such as fanqie spellings (反切), Similar sound notes (類音注, ruion-chū), Kana glosses (片仮名音注, kana-onchū), Tone marks (*shōten*) (声点), and other notations.

A Semantic Gloss in Chinese is also sometimes referred to as gichū (義注, semantic gloss) or kanbun imichū (漢文意味注, semantic gloss in Chinese). Unless it causes misunderstanding, it is often simply referred to as Semantic Gloss (義注).

A Japanese Native Reading (*wakun*) refers to kun’yomi (native Japanese readings of Chinese characters) and is also sometimes called wakunchū (Japanese native reading glosses). It is generally written in Katakana. For example, ‘mono’ may be written with the abbreviated character ‘牜’ (a variant of 物), and ‘koto’ may use the ligature ‘ヿ’. There is one instance where Man’yōgana is used (e.g., ‘度久佐’ for ‘木賊’).

Notes on Character Form are indicated using terms describing character-form norms, such as ‘正’ (standard) or ‘俗’ (popular).

There are instances of Semantic Glosses in Chinese, Katakana text, etc., written around the Headword; these can be termed Supplementary Headword Annotations (掲出字補注, Keishutsuji Hochū). These have been classified into Phonetic Glosses, Japanese Native Readings (*wakun*), etc., according to their content. In the process of data conversion, measures were taken to clearly identify them as Supplementary Headword Annotations (see “Supplementary Headword Annotations” under “Handling Issues in Transcription, Notation, and Annotation” in the “Input of Entry Data” section).

Other includes items marked as unknown (未詳, mishō), notes on textual transmission (伝写上の注記, densha-jō no chūki), and cases where the type of gloss could not be determined.

Examples of Entries (Images) #

The following presents facsimile reproductions of Entries from the Myōgishō as specific examples, including those for ‘功’, ‘加復’, ‘ー之’, and ‘助’ (along with its variant characters (itaiji)).

{{< figure src="/images/krm-item-sample1.png" alt=“entry structure” width=“500px” >}}

Diagram of Entry Structure #

The following is a diagram illustrating the structure of an Entry that contains all elements of a Headword and its Original Glosses.

graph TB
    A(Entry)
    A--->B(Headword)
    A--->C(Original Glosses)
    C--->D(Notes on Character Form)
    C--->E(Phonetic Gloss)
    C--->F(Semantic Gloss in Chinese)
    C--->G(Japanese Native Reading)
    C--->H(Other)

Example of an Entry (Transcription) #

Next, we present transcriptions of the examples shown in the images of sample Entries.

First, let’s consider “功,” an Entry that includes the basic elements.

Example

功　音工（L-R）「コウ（_N）」「クウ（_N）」　續也　事也　成也　タシカニ（LHLH）　𭃄歟

Headword: 功
Elements of the Original Glosses:
- Phonetic Gloss: 音工（L-R）「コウ（_N）」「クウ（_N）」
- Semantic Gloss (in Chinese): 續也　事也　成也
- Japanese Native Reading (wakun): タシカニ（LHLH）
- Note on Character Form: 𭃄歟

This structure should clearly illustrate the relationship between the Headword and the elements of the Original Glosses. However, a detailed explanation of this Entry’s content would require considerable text. The Japanese quotation marks (kagi-kakko) 「」 enclose supplementary notes, and the symbols shown in parentheses () are Romanized representations of Tone marks (*shōten*) and nasal sound symbols. For further details, please see “Handling Issues in Transcription, Notation, and Annotation” within “Input of Entry Data”; such details are omitted here.

Similar to the example of “功,” “加復” and “ー之” can be transcribed as follows.

Example:

加復　シカノミナラス  
ー之　同

Headword: 加復
Elements of the Original Glosses:
- Japanese Native Reading (wakun): シカノミナラス
Headword: ー（加）之
Elements of the Original Glosses:
- Japanese Native Reading (wakun): 同 (i.e., same as above: シカノミナラス)

Since the “ー” in “ー之” is a notation substituting for “加,” which is used in the preceding Headword, it is here written as the Headword “ー（加）之.”

Lastly, “助” and its variant characters (itaiji) are shown as follows.

Example:

⿰目力 鉏據反　タスク（LL_）　マサル（HH_）　ハサム　和自ヨ（_L）  
𦔳助 今正

Headword: ⿰目力
Elements of the Original Glosses:
- Phonetic Gloss: 鉏據反
- Japanese Native Reading (wakun): タスク（LL_）　マサル（HH_）　ハサム
- Phonetic Gloss: 和自ヨ（_L）
Headword: 𦔳助
Elements of the Original Glosses:
- Note on Character Form: 今正

Explaining the content of the Original Glosses for “加復,” “ー之,” and for “助” and its variant characters (itaiji)` would require considerable text, so it is omitted here.