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🌏 Region(s): Honshu (Fukushima: Aizu)

あかべこ【赤べこ】

akabeko

Definition

Noun

  1. A traditional toy made out of papier-mâché shaped in the form of a red cow or ox. It originated from the Aizu region of western Fukushima, where a local legend tells of a red cow refusing to leave the site of a newly constructed buddhist temple and thus became a symbol of religious devotion. The toy is believed to help protect against sickness and illnesses such as smallpox.

Etymology

The name derives from あか【赤】 aka "red" and the local term べこ beko "cow, ox".

Spelling

OrthographyForm
Kanji赤べこ
Kanaあかべこ
Romanizationakabeko

意味:あかべこ【赤べこ】

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赤べこ
Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2023, July 30). あかべこ【赤べこ】 : akabeko | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2025, January 23, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/185/akabeko/.