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🌏 Region(s): Ryukyu (Okinawa)

ぐ【御】

gu

Pronunciation: [ɡu]

Definition

Prefix

  1. Honorific prefix used with nouns to add respect
    1. すーよー総様
      gusuuyoo
      "everyone"
    2. ぶりー無礼
      guburii
      "discourtesy"

Etymology

Cognate with the standard Japanese honorific prefix 【御】 go.

Historical Ryukyuan attestations

  • Essay in Aid of a Grammar and Dictionary of the Luchuan Language (1895), by Basil Hall Chamberlain, records "The prefuxes u, gu and mi, which signify literally 'honourable' or 'august,' are almost always preferred to the personal pronouns in addressing a superior or even an equal. Thus u byō-chi, 'your illness;' mi fisha, 'your leg' (...)".
  • 沖縄語典 Okinawa goten (Okinawan language dictionary) (1896), by Masayo Nakamoto, records "「ぐじん」御前(ゴゼン)、貴人ノ座前ノ敬語", "「ぐ𛃥う」御用(ゴヨウ)", "「ぐらん」御覧(ゴラン)", "「ぐみん、う𛀁んみさ」御免(ゴメン)", "「ぐむつィ」御物(ゴモツ)、皇室又ハ御蔵所ノ物", and "「ぐひい、うんもーし」御弊(ゴヘイ)", among other examples.

Notes

Used especially with words of Sinitic origin.

Spelling

OrthographyForm
Kanji
Kana
Romanizationgu
Pronunciation (IPA)[ɡu]

意味:ご・お・み【御】

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Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2025, September 9). ぐ【御】 : gu | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2025, December 5, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/7581/gu/.