Osabai - Osabai

…Another name for the god of rice fields. It is mainly used in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions and on Sado Island, and is also called Osabai or Sanbou. The "sa" in sanbai is from the same family as the "sa" in words like "sanae," "saotome," and "satsuki," and is said to mean rice planting or the god of rice fields, but there is no consensus on the origin of the word sanbai.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Osabai" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…田の神の異称。中国，四国地方や佐渡島で主に使われ，オサバイ，サンボウなどともいう。サンバイの〈さ〉は〈さなえ〉〈さおとめ〉〈さつき〉などの〈さ〉と同系の語で，田植ないし田の神を意味する言葉とされているが，サンバイの語源についての定説はない。…

※「オサバイ」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

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