底 - Let's get to the bottom of 'soko' (Pt. 2 - Vocabulary)

       In part 2 of this study of 'soko', we'll look at 'jukugo' vocabulary. My primary source for this information is the wonderful Kanji-kai dictionary, 4th ed (漢辞海第四版) published by Sanseido (三省堂). As you'll see, the possible uses of "bottom" and "deep" are nearly exhausted by this kanji. Everything is covered, from the bottom of a body of water (水底), to the depths of one's heart (心底).

       We'll also see 'soko' in a few technical terms from the fields of medicine, geometry and finance. Terms such as 眼底 for the fundus of the eye, 底辺 for the sides of a trapezoid, and 底本 for funds used in investment.

       Additionally, we'll see this kanji's involvement in rich metaphors. For example, 底流 denotes an ocean's undercurrent. But this 'jukugo' can also metaphorically describe the emotions or feelings of a person — those which cannot be perceived from outward appearances.

       My favorite vocabulary word of this list would have to be 徹底, used to describe scrupulousness or completeness. This seems very much like a 'jukugo' one might expect to find beautifully written on a 'kakemono' hanging within the hush hall of a venerable Buddhist temple. Romantic thoughts and language aside, I think this 'jukugo' contains both a deep meaning and a deep challenge: don't be lazy! Do your best!

       Before we jump in, I would like to share one final note. In part 1, we saw that the definitions of 'soko' covered five parts of speech: noun, verb, pronoun, adverb and particle. Modern usage of 'soko' is primarily confined to the first two (noun and verb) while the latter three are considered archaic. In part 3, we'll see its usage as a pronoun, adverb and particle by looking at Chinese poetry and thought. In doing so, we'll see this kanji's evolution through the centuries on full display.

-Ash

熟語

1. 底翳　　「そこひ」

a. 眼球内に障害があって物の見えなくなる病気。

 

a.  a disease or disorder which causes damage to the interior part of the eye and gradually leads to blindness

2. 底土　　「しはに」also read as 'soko-tsuchi'

a. 地の底にある土。そこつち。 

a. the layer of soil beneath topsoil; subsoil

3. 底蘊　　「ていうん」

a. 奥深くつつみかくされた思想や学識・技芸。

 

b. 内実。内情。 

a. a form of thought, scholarship, and/or art that is deeply secret

b. the facts, the truth; the true state of affairs (e.g., of a company)

4. 底下　　「ていか」

a. 低い。

 

b. 下層の。また、その人。

 

c. 下部。底部。 

a. low (in rank, quality, value, etc.)

b. of a lower layer, strata, or class (e.g., a person of low social class)

c. a substructure; the base (e.g., of prices)

 

5. 底極　　「ていきょく」

a. 終わらせる。終わる。 

a. to put an end to; to finish or complete

6. 底滞　　「ていたい」

a. ふさがって滞る。すらすらと進まないさま。停滞。

 

b. にぶい。とろい。 

a. to be closed and therefore delayed; to not be advancing smoothly or going according to plan; stagnation

b. dull (e.g., sound); blunt (e.g., blade); slow (e.g., stupid)

7. 底本　　「ていほん」

a. 文書の下書き。草稿。

 

b. 翻訳・校訂などで、よりどころとする原本。

 

c. もとで。 

a. the rough draft of a document; a manuscript

b. an original text that is referenced for translation or emendation

c. (in finance) capital, funds, or assets

 8. 底稿　　「ていこう」

a. 公文書・手紙・文章などの写し。

a. a copy of an official document, letter, essay, etc.

9. 底辺　　「ていへん」

a. 三角形で、頂点に対する辺。二等辺三角形で、等辺でない辺。

 

b. 台形で、平行なニ辺。

 

c. 組織などの基盤をなす部分や、社会の下層部分のたとえ。 

a. (in geometry) the side of a triangle opposite the vertex. The non-equilateral side of an isosceles triangle

b. (in geometry) the two parallel sides of a trapezoid

c. (metaphor) the foundational substrate of an organization; the lower strata of a society

10. 底面　　「ていめん」

a. 底部の面。

 

b. 数学で、錐体の頂点に対する面。柱体では平行する上下の面。 

a. the surface region of a base (e.g., the base of a statue)

b. (in geometry) the base of a cone opposite the vertex; the parallel top and bottom sides of a prism

 11. 底流　　「ていりゅう」

a. 川や海の、底の方の流れ。

 

b. 表面には表れないで、奥底に動いている思想・感情・勢いなど。

a. the undercurrent of a river or sea

b. (metaphor) thoughts, emotions, or energies that are not outwardly apparent, but which are stirring within

12. 河底　　「かてい」also read as 'kawa-zoko'

a. かわのそこ。かわぞこ。 

a. a riverbed

13. 海底　　「かいてい」also read as 'una-zoko'

a. うみのそこ。 

a. the seafloor; the depths of the ocean

14. 眼底　　「がんてい」

a. 眼球の内部の後面。網膜のある部分。 

a. the rear interior of the eye; a section of the retina

15. 基底　　「きてい」

a. ある物事の基礎となるもの。物事のおおもとのところ。

 

b. 基礎となす底面。立体の底。 

a. the foundation or base of all things; the source, origin, root, etc.

b. a base that serves as the foundation (of something); a firm foundation

16. 胸底　　「きょうてい」also read as 'muna-soko'

a. 心の奥底。むなそこ。

a. the bottom of one's heart

17. 湖底　　「こてい」

a. みずうみのそこ。 

a. the bottom of a lake

18. 根底　　「こんてい」

a. 物事や考え方のおおもととなるところ。根本。 

a. the source from which things and ideas originate; the foundational point (e.g., of an argument)

19. 心底 （真底）　　「しんそこ」

a. 心の奥底。心根。

 

b. (真底) 物事のいちばんの奥底。いちばん深いところ。

 

c. [ 副 ] 心から。本当に。 

a. the bottom of the heart; (one's) innermost feelings

b. (when written as 真底) the deepest depth of all things; the most profoundly deep place

c. [adverb] from the heart; sincerely

20. 水底　　「すいてい」also read as 'mizu-soko' and 'mina-soko'

a. 湖や川などの水のそこ。みずそこ。みなそこ。 

a. the bottom of a body of water, such as a river or lake

21. 池底　　「ちてい」

a. いけのそこ。 

a. the bottom of a pond

22. 徹底　　「てってい」

a. 中途半端でなく一貫していること。

 

b. すみずみまで行き届くこと。 

a. doing something thoroughly and leaving nothing incomplete

b. to scrupulously go over every detail

23. 洞底　　「どうてい」

a. 洞窟の奥。 

a. the interior region of a cave

24. 到底　　「とうてい」

a. (あとに打消しの語を伴って) とうやつてみても。とうしても。

 

b. つまるところ。つまり。 

a. (followed by a negative verb) not by any means; cannot possibly do

b. in short; to sum up

25. 払底　　「ふってい」

a. すっかりなくなること。乏しくなること。 

a. to be completely gone; a dearth of something

26. 奥底　　「おくそこ」also read as 'ou-tei'

a. 奥深い所。いちばん奥の所。

 

b. 心中の秘密。 

a. the deepest part of something (e.g., the heart, a cave)

b. a secret of the heart