Adult | Otona - Adult

Japanese: 大人∥乙名 - おとな

It is also written as eldest, eldest son, elder, elder son, elder life, elder, elder man, elder retainer, elder retainer, etc. Originally it was a word referring to a leader in a group, and in collective societies, whether in cities, villages, or bureaucratic organizations, there were "otona" (adults). The chief farmer, the head of servants, the head of the ladies-in-waiting in the Heian period, the elder of the vassals, the town elder, the head of a clan, etc., were all called "otona". In particular, as a term referring to the central members and leaders of medieval village and urban communities, this word was frequently used in villages in the Kinki region after the Nanboku-cho period.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

長，長男，長者，長生，老，老人，老男，宿老，家老などとも記す。もともと集団の中での指導者を指す言葉であり，集団社会では都市･村落･官僚機構を問わず，〈おとな〉が存在した。長百姓，召使の長，平安時代の女房たちの頭，家臣団の長老，町年寄，一門の長者など，すべて〈おとな〉と呼ばれている。とくに中世の村落･都市共同体の中心的構成員や共同体の指導者を指す用語としては，南北朝時代以後，近畿地方の村落においてこの語が頻発する。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Adults Don't Understand - Adults Don't Understand (English) Les Quatre Cents Coups

>>: Automatic door