Hoshikage (星影)

What comes to your mind when you hear 'hoshikage' (星影)?

Hoshi (星) means 'star' and kage (影) means 'shadow.'

Because of this, you (even Japanese people) might think that 'hoshikage' is "a shadow created by the light of a star."

However, the actual meaning of 'hoshikage' is just 'starlight.'

Originally, the word 'kage' meant 'light.'

Later, it came to mean also "a black shape created by the light and an object," and now it is mainly used as the latter meaning.

Incidentally, if you want to say 'moonlight' in Japanese, you can say 'tsukikage' (月影 - here, 'tsuki' means 'moon') in the same manner as the case of 'hoshikage.'

星影

「星影」と聞いて何を思い浮かべますか？

「星」は 'star,' 「影」は一般的に 'shadow' を意味します。

このことから、「星影」と聞いて「星の光によって作り出される影」を想像してしまうかもしれません。

しかし、実は「星影」は「星の光」を意味します。

もともと「影」という言葉は、「光」を意味する言葉でした。

後に、「光が物体に遮られてできる黒い形」のことも「影」と呼ぶようになり、現在では主に 'shadow' の意味になったというわけです。

同様に、「月影」と言うことで「月の光」を表すこともできます。

• Hoshi (星) means 'star' and kage (影) means 'shadow.'
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Because of this, you (even Japanese people) might think that 'hoshikage' is "a shadow created by the light of a star."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• However, the actual meaning of 'hoshikage' is just 'starlight.'
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Originally, the word 'kage' meant 'light.'
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Later, it came to mean also "a black shape created by the light and an object," and now it is mainly used as the latter meaning.
• Later, it came to mean also "a black shape created by an object through which light could not pass," and now this (latter) meaning of the word is (the one that is) mainly used.

• Incidentally, if you want to say 'moonlight' in Japanese, you can say 'tsukikage' (月影 - here, 'tsuki' means 'moon') in the same manner as the case of 'hoshikage.'
• Incidentally, if you want to say 'moonlight' in Japanese, you can say 'tsukikage' (月影 - here, 'tsuki' means 'moon'), in which 'kage' has the same meaning as in 'hoshikage.'

Hi Toru! It's very interesting to find out the etymology of words. I'll have to check out some of your older posts.

• Incidentally, if you want to say 'moonlight' in Japanese, you can say 'tsukikage' (月影 - here, 'tsuki' means 'moon') in the same manner as the case of 'hoshikage.'
• Similarly, if you want to say 'moonlight' in Japanese, you can say 'tsukikage' (月影 - here, 'tsuki' means 'moon') in the same manner as the case of 'hoshikage.'

  I think if you change "incidentally" to "similarly" you can avoid the awkwardness of the latter part of your sentence.
  
  Also, "incidentally" carries a bit of 偶然 meaning with it. And I'm guessing that the etymology of these words is somewhat connected. So "similarly" may be a better option because of that as well.

Interesting as always.

• What comes to your mind when you hear 'hoshikage' (月影)?
• What comes to your mind when you hear 'hoshikage' (星影)?

  LOL