EssayJapanese traditionUncorrected

Unlucky Coins Part 2

  • Unlucky Coins Part 2

    縁起の悪いお賽銭 Part 2


    Yesterday, I introduced jūen-dama (十円玉 – “ten-yen coin”) and gohyakuen-dama (五百円玉 – “five-hundred-yen coin”), which are unpopular/unlucky coins as offertory money, and explained the reason for the former.
    昨日はお賽銭に縁起の悪い硬貨として「十円玉」と「五百円玉」を紹介し、「十円玉」の理由を説明しました。

    The reason for the latter is as follows:
    「五百円玉」が縁起が悪いとされる理由は、次のようなものです。

    Dama/tama (玉) meaning “coin” can be rephrased as kōka (硬貨).
    “Coin” を意味する「玉」は、「硬貨」と言い換えることができます。

    Kōka (硬貨) has the same sound as 効果, which means “effect.”
    「硬貨」は、”effect” を意味する「効果」と同音です。

    In addition, the most expensive coin in Japan is “five-hundred-yen coin.”
    また、日本の硬貨で最も金額が大きいのは、「五百円玉」です。

    In other words, there are no coins (effects) larger than that.
    すなわち、それ以上大きな硬貨(効果)はない、というわけです。

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