相撲

“sumo”

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 相撲 (sumō).

相撲

1. mutually rushing at; fighting
2. sumo (Japanese traditional wrestling)

Derived from Old Japanese verb 争ふ (sumapu), modern 争う (sumau, “to contend, resist, compete (in sumo, for example)”).[1][2][3]

There are two leading theories regarding the derivation:

• May be a nominalization of the 終止形 (shūshikei, “terminal form”) and 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) sumapu:[1][2]

/sumapu/ → /sumaɸu/ → */sumawu/ → /sumau/ → /sumɔː/ → /sumoː/

• May be an instance of ウ音便 (u onbin, ““u” sound shift”), found in terms with bilabial consonants (/m/, /b/, /w/) followed by i:[1][3]

⟨sumapi₁⟩ → */sumapʲi/ → /sumaɸi/ → /sumawi/ → */sumawu/ → /sumau/ → /sumɔː/ → /sumoː/

That said, the nominalization of terminal/attributive verb forms is quite rare in Japanese, whereas the “u” sound shift pattern is not uncommon.

The kanji spelling is jukujikun (熟字訓) for 相 (“each other”) + 撲 (“striking, hitting”), from sumai below.

• (Irregular reading)
  • (Tokyo) すもー [sùmóó] (Heiban – [0])[4][5][6]
  • IPA^(key): [sɨᵝmo̞ː]

• 角力

相撲 (hiragana すもう, rōmaji sumō, historical hiragana すまふ)

1. sumo (Japanese traditional wrestling)

   Synonym: 角力 (kakuryoku)

2. Short for 相撲取り (sumōtori): a sumo wrestler

   Synonyms: 力士 (rikishi), お相撲さん (o-sumō-san)

3. (historical) Short for 相撲の節 (Sumō no Sechi) or 相撲の節会 (Sumō no Sechie): in the Heian period, a special ceremonial sumo match held in July to help ensure a good harvest

相撲 (hiragana すもう, rōmaji Sumō, historical hiragana すまふ)

1. a surname​.

⟨sumapi₁⟩ → */sumapʲi/ → /sumaɸi/ → /sumawi/ → /sumai/

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of Old Japanese verb 争ふ (sumapu), modern 争う (sumau, “to contend, resist, compete (in sumo, for example)”), likely derived in turn from verb 済む (sumu, “to settle, finish”, intransitive) as the 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) suma + auxiliary verb ふ (fu, indicating repetitive or ongoing action) → “on the verge of being settled” → “to be in competition”.

The kanji spelling is jukujikun (熟字訓) for 相 (“each other”) + 撲 (“striking, hitting”), attested in the Wamyō Ruijushō of 938 CE with the phonetic spelling 須末比 (​sumapi).

• (Irregular reading)
  • IPA^(key): [sɨᵝma̠i]

• 角力

相撲 (hiragana すまい, rōmaji sumai, historical hiragana すまひ)

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) a competition of power and skill, similar to modern-day sumo
2. (archaic, possibly obsolete) Short for 相撲取り (sumaitori): a sumo wrestler

   Synonym: 相撲人 (sumaibito)

3. (historical, archaic) Short for 相撲の節 (Sumai no Sechi) or 相撲の節会 (Sumai no Sechie): in the Heian period, a special ceremonial sumo match held in July to help ensure a good harvest

Edo-period shift from sumō above.

相撲 (hiragana すもん, rōmaji sumon)

1. (obsolete) Same as すもう (sumō) above

/sauboku/ → /sɔːboku/ → /soːboku/

From Middle Chinese 相撲 (MC sɨɐŋ pʰuk̚). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

相撲 (hiragana そうぼく, rōmaji sōboku, historical hiragana さうぼく)

1. (obsolete) a competition of power and skill, similar to modern-day sumo

• 捔力

First attested in the Nihon Shoki (720 CE).

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 争ふ (sumapu, “to contend, resist”), likely derived in turn from verb 済む (sumu, “to settle, finish”, intransitive) as the 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) suma + auxiliary verb ふ (pu, indicating repetitive or ongoing action).

相撲 (sumapi₁) (kana すまひ)

1. a competition of power and skill, similar to modern-day sumo
   • 720, Nihon Shoki (Emperor Suinin, entry 9: seventh year of the seventh lunar month)

     卽日、遣倭直祖長尾市、喚野見宿禰。於是、野見宿禰、自出雲至。則當摩蹶速與野見宿禰令捔力。

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 720, Nihon Shoki (Emperor Yūryaku, entry 32: thirteenth year of the ninth lunar month)

     乃喚集采女、使脱衣裙而著犢鼻、露所相撲。

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

• Japanese: 相撲 (sumai → sumō)