Words That Dwell in “Koma” 「こま」に宿る言の葉

A young horse, illustrating 駒 in Words That Dwell in Koma, Hiragana Times November 2026

Words That Dwell in “Koma”
「こま」に宿る言の葉

Hiragana Times
Oct 20, 2026

NIHONGO DO® | Word Leaves – Hiragana Times November 2026 issue

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Words That Dwell in “Koma”

「こま」に宿やどる言ことの葉は

Words are like leaves on a tree. They are colored by people’s thoughts and emotions, and carried from one person to another. The reason the character for “leaf” is used in the word kotoba (words) is believed to be connected to the Japanese reverence for nature. Japan’s oldest poetry anthology is also titled the Manyoshu (“Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves”). In this issue, in connection with the magazine’s theme, we trace, through words related to “koma,” how play and daily life are connected by one sound, even when the characters differ.
言葉ことばはまるで木この葉はのようです。人ひとの心こころや考かんがえに色いろづけられ、他者たしゃへと伝つたわっていきます。「ことば」に「葉は」という漢字かんじを当あてた背景はいけいには、日本人にほんじんの自然崇拝しぜんすうはいが関係かんけいしていると考かんがえられます。日本最古にほんさいこの歌集かしゅうも『万葉集まんようしゅう』と名付なづけられています。今号こんごうでは、本誌ほんしのテーマthemeにあわせ、「こま」にまつわる言葉ことばを通とおして、字じは違ちがっても同おなじ音おとでつながる、遊あそびと暮くらしの姿すがたをたどっていきます。