仙
mythical being, wizard, fairy; hermit
Kanji 1490
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Coming from an ancient Taoist context, 仙 blurs the line between what’s real and fictional. It refers to a human who has become immortal with magical powers, as seen in Japanese folktales and art. People use 仙 in more grounded ways when discussing geniuses and oddballs. Find out why 仙 is in the name of a major Japanese city, one that pops up in the names of some beef dishes.
Revision History:
July 5, 2024: p. 7: Added information about the term for "cactus."
June 3, 2021:
- p. 2: Updated the Henshall etymology.
- p. 14: Added a link to the Kanshudo games.
- p. 15: Modified the discussion of and breakdown of 仙椎.
June 29, 2017: pp. 2, 11, and 14: Fixed broken links.
Feb. 8, 2013: Originally published.
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