CHARACTER HOME PAGE

mythical being, wizard, fairy; hermit
Kanji 1490

Thank you for visiting this Character Home Page. Below you'll find a synopsis of the essay. If you wish to read the full text, the PDF of the essay is available for purchase to the right.

Synopsis

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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JOYO ON-YOMI
セン
JOYO KUN-YOMI
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STROKES5
RADICAL亻 (9: person)
JLPTN1
HALPERN20/20
HENSHALL1490/1597
SPAHN2a3.1