Iki - sui

Japanese: 粋 - すい

〘 noun 〙① Something that is unadulterated. Also, the thing itself. Pure. ※Yakubun Sen'tei Shohen (1714-15) 2 "Iki, synonymous with the character jun, has the meaning of something weighty and simple, and also has the meaning of pure feelings." [Xunzi - Hisei] ② Something that is particularly excellent among many or diverse. Something that has been carefully selected. ※Honcho Bun'zu - Preface by Hori Kyoan (1629) " _One selection of _{the Iki} , _one _division of the types, and _a _collection of _several hundred pieces, called Honcho _Bun'zu ." ※Umoregi (1892)〈Higuchi Ichiyo〉 10 "During her lifetime , she was known as the pinnacle of ceramic painting, and was praised as one of the master's painting factories . " ③ (adjective-verb) Being well versed in the public and private aspects of human nature, and being easy to understand. In particular, someone who is well versed in the affairs of pleasure quarters and whose speech, behavior and appearance are sophisticated. Also, the state of being so. Iki. Tsutomu. ※Hyōbanki・Nemōgatari (1656), vol. 18, “ Sui (water) adult men do not do kuzetsu” ※Kabuki・Kanjin Kanbun Tekanshi (Chinese killing) (1789), vol. 2, “Ikido kyūku guchi to yara” [Etymology] (Regarding ③) (1) There are various theories about the origin of the word, but it may be a phonetic form of “suki (like)”, which expresses the meaning of elegance. It is an aesthetic sense born from the idea since “Tsurezuregusa” that one can see the impermanence of sex and understand the pathos of things, and it spread from pleasure quarters such as Shimabara in the early modern period.
(2) In the entertainment of the wealthy, spirit and drive were highly valued, as was the knowledge of the facts, and in Saikaku's works, the character "sui" was used exclusively. In the Ukiyo-zoshi after Saikaku, the character "sui" was considered to be related to "sei," and the character "mei" was favored, meaning to know well and not get too involved.
(3) In the late early modern period, the center of culture shifted from Kamigata to Edo, where "tsuu" (connection) became popular. At the same time, "sui" was eventually replaced by "tsuu," and "sui" continued to live on until the end of the Edo period, as a Kamigata word, in entertainment venues. However, during the Bunka-Bunsei period, "sui" indistinguishable from "iki" began to appear, and the character "iki," which was commonly pronounced "sui," came to be pronounced "iki."

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙① まじりけのないこと。また、そのもの。純粋。※訳文筌蹄初編（1714‐15）二「粋、純字と同意にて重しもののきっすいなる意あり、純情の義を兼ぬ」〔荀子‐非相〕② 多数、多様の中で特にすぐれているもの。えりすぐったもの。※本朝文粋‐堀杏菴序（1629）「抜_二其粋_一、分_二其類_一、裒_二集数百篇_一、名曰_二本朝文粋_一」※うもれ木（1892）〈樋口一葉〉一〇「生中(なまなか)陶画の粋(スヰ)と呼ばれし、先師の画工場の一と称(たた)へられて」③ (形動) 世態や人情の表裏によく通じ、ものわかりのよいこと。特に、遊里の事情によく通じていて、言動や姿があかぬけていること。また、そのさま。いき。通。※評判記・寝物語（1656）一八「水(スイ)成男はくぜつせず」※歌舞伎・韓人漢文手管始（唐人殺し）（1789）二「粋程結句愚痴とやら」[語誌](③について) (1)語源は諸説あるが、風流の意を表わす「すき（好）」の音便形か。色の道に無常を観じてもののあわれを知るという、「徒然草」以来の考え方から生まれた美意識で、近世になって島原などの遊郭から広まった。
(2)大尽遊びの中で、意気・張りの気概とともに、おおような訳知りが高く評価され、西鶴の作品では専ら「帥」の字が当てられている。また、西鶴以後の浮世草子では、「すい」は「精」に通じると考え、よく弁(わきま)えて深入りしない意で「睟」の字がもてはやされた。
(3)近世後期に入ると、文化の中心は上方から江戸に移り、江戸では「つう（通）」が流行する。それとともに「すい」はやがて「つう」に取って代わられ、「すい」は、専ら上方語として、遊興の場で幕末まで生き続ける。しかし、文化文政期、「いき」と区別できない「すい」も見られるようになり、「すい」と読むのが一般的だった「粋」の字も、「いき」と読むようになった。

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