玄関

genkwan > genkan.

• On’yomi
  • (Tokyo) げ​んかん [géꜜǹkàǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
  • IPA^(key): [ɡẽ̞ŋkã̠ɴ]

玄関 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 玄關, hiragana げんかん, rōmaji genkan, historical hiragana げんくわん)

1. the entrance to a profound path; in particularly an introduction to the Zen Buddhist discipline
2. the entrance to a Zen Buddhist temple
3. the place of entrance / exit in a Japanese home; usually recessed into the floor
   • 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho (page 296)

     Guenquan. ゲンクヮン (玄関) 茶の湯 (Chanoyu)へ行くのに通る道の入り口、または、門. また、ある人の家の中に入るのに通る奥の入口.

• 玄 (げん)関 (かん)帳 (ちょう) (genkanchō)
• 玄 (げん)関 (かん)番 (ばん) (genkanban)

From earlier genkan. genkwan > genkwa > genka. The final /a/ was likely nasalized. Common during the Edo period.

玄関 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 玄關, hiragana げんか, rōmaji genka, historical hiragana げんくわ)

1. same as 玄関 (genkan)
   • 1686: Shika no Makifude (鹿の巻筆) (page 182)

     浪人、「さてはいまのももんぐわあゆへ」と思ひながら、是非なく座敷をたちけり。玄関(げんくわ)口へ出ければ、又かのいたづらがき、玄関（げんか）のわきに居けり。

• Doi, Tadao (1603–1604) Hōyaku Nippo Jisho (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 1980, →ISBN.
• Odaka, Toshio (1966) Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 100: Edo Shōwashū, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN