Friday, February 22, 2008

裏 - BEHIND Your Mask You Are Planning to Betray Me


Readings & Meanings:

うら



reverse side, back, opposite

Common Usage:

秘密裏

裏表

裏切る

Examples:

秘密裏に事がすすむ。

彼は裏表のある人だから信用できない。

校長先生がズボンを裏表にしてはいていたのに気づいた?

その女性は長年付き合っていた彼氏に裏切られて自殺した。

Translations:

It advanced in secret.

He's a double-dealing guy, so I can't trust him.

Did you see the principal's wearing his pants inside out?!

The guy that she was dating for a very long time betrayed her, and she committed suicide.

Radicals:

亠, the pot lid Nabebuta, is on top. We discussed this in

衣, clothing, is on the bottom. See http://sokasoka.blogspot.com/2008/02/folds-in-your-clothes.html

里 is in the middle, the belt (of land) kanji we pointed out in .

Okay, so "belt," "clothes" and "lid." Kanji Networks says "As per 里 (Type 1 Phonetic) (belt of land) + 衣 clothing → strips of fabric used as lining/backing material for clothes → back; reverse; opposite; inside. Extended meanings include (in) secret, behind the scenes, the sole and the bottom half of an inning."

Fair enough. I still don't see the connection between 里 and strips of clothing, but I'll deal.

References:

http://www.kanjinetworks.com/lnetwork/LAG.html#LAG07
http://www.thejapanesepage.com/kanji/kanji/e.htm

No comments: