MOUNT FUJI NAME
Mount Fuji Name - Variations
Fuji-san is sometimes referred to as Fuji Yama in some Western texts,
because the third character of its name, 山 meaning mountain, can also be
pronounced "yama". However, this name is obsolete in Japan. In fact, the
Japanese phrase "Fujiyama, geisha" means the Japan that is misunderstood by
the West. The suffix - san, meaning a mountain, has nothing to do with the
Japanese title -san used for people.
Other Japanese names for Mt. Fuji, which have become obsolete or poetic,
include Fuji-no-Yama (ふじの山, the Mountain of Fuji), Fuji-no-Takane (ふじの高嶺,
the High Peak of Fuji), Fuyō-hō (芙蓉峰, the Lotus Peak), and Fu-gaku (富岳 or
富嶽, the first character of 富士, Fuji, and 岳, mountain).
Mount Fuji Etymology
The current
kanji for
Mt. Fuji, 富 and 士, mean wealth or abundant and warrior respectively, but it
is likely these characters were applied to the already existent
pronunciation.
The origin of the name Fuji is unclear, but it has been associated
throughout history with various Chinese characters according to folk
etymologies. One of the earlier folk etymologies claims that Fuji came from
不二 (not + two), meaning without equal or nonpareil. Another folk etymology
claims that it came from 不尽 (not + exhaust), meaning neverending.
Perhaps the most popular folk etymology is the one that claims that the
mountain's name means abounding with warriors, written with the Chinese
characters 富士 (abundant or wealthy + warrior). See The Tale of the Bamboo
Cutter.
Yet another folk etymology links the name to the Ainu huci, which has been
proven wrong by linguists but still survives in non-academic sources.
Mt Fuji from Fujiyoshida
(Article
based on
Wikipedia article and used under the
GNU Free Documentation License)
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