Ateji - Ateji

This refers to the practice of borrowing the Japanese readings or readings of kanji characters that are not directly related in meaning to the word in question when writing Japanese, or to the kanji characters themselves. It can also be written as "ateji." Originally, when writing Japanese using kanji, it was normal to use kanji characters that have a corresponding meaning, such as "yama" (mountain) and "tani" (valley). However, when there was no corresponding kanji, the readings or readings of existing kanji were borrowed for convenience, and this also extended to writing foreign words and foreign languages ​​other than Japanese. This is "ateji."

This includes both conventional spellings that are widely accepted by society, and personal, temporary spellings (often considered "misspellings"). The former include foreign words and foreign proper nouns written by borrowing the sounds of kanji, such as Asia, France, and coffee, Japanese words written by borrowing the sounds of kanji, such as Suteki (nice) and Tokaku (rabbit), foreign words written by borrowing the Japanese readings of kanji, such as Sebiro (back suit), and Japanese words written by borrowing the Japanese readings of kanji, such as Yappari (as expected) and Detarame (nonsense). In reality, these usages are often combined, as in a catalogue. In addition, Japanese words that are written with two or three kanji characters (jukujikun), such as samidare (May rain) and momiji (autumn leaves), and words that were rewritten with the implementation of the current kanji (now common kanji), such as senkou (selection) and yoron (public opinion), are also often considered to be ateji.

[Masayuki Tsukimoto]

"The History of the Japanese Language, Vol. 7 and Supplementary Volume (1963-1966, Heibonsha)" edited by Takashi Kamei, Tokihiko Ofuji, and Toshio Yamada

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本語を表記する際に、その語と意味のうえで直接関係のない漢字の和訓や字音を借用する用法、またはその漢字をいう。「宛字」とも書く。本来、漢字を用いて日本語を書き表すには、「やま―山」「たに―谷」のように、意味上の対応関係をもつ漢字を使うのが通常であるが、対応する漢字がない場合に、便宜的にある漢字の音や訓を借りて書き記し、さらに和語以外の外来語、外国語の表記にも及んだ。これが「当て字」である。

　これには、広く社会に認められた慣用的な表記と、個人的な臨時の表記（しばしば「誤字」とされる）を含む。前者には亜細亜(アジア)、仏蘭西(フランス)、珈琲(コーヒー)のように外来語や外国の固有名詞を漢字の音を借用して表記したもの、素敵(すてき)、兎角(とかく)のように漢字音を借りて和語を記すもの、背広(せびろ)のように漢字の和訓を借用して外来語を表記するもの、矢張(やはり)、出鱈目(でたらめ)のように漢字の和訓を借用して和語を表記するものなどがあり、実際には型録(カタログ)のように、これらの用法が組み合わされることも多い。このほか、五月雨(さみだれ)、紅葉(もみじ)のように和語一語を漢字2字また3字で表記するもの（熟字訓）や、選考、世論のように、当用漢字（現在は常用漢字）の施行に伴って書き換えられた（銓衡(せんこう)、輿論(よろん)から）ものも当て字とされることが多い。

［月本雅幸］

『亀井孝・大藤時彦・山田俊雄編『日本語の歴史』7巻・別巻（1963～1966・平凡社）』

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