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Dianthus superbus 5

Dianthus superbus

Yamato nadeshiko (やまとなでしこ or 大和撫子) is a Japanese term meaning the "personification of an idealized Japanese woman",[1] or "the epitome of pure, feminine beauty".[2] It is a floral metaphor,[3] combining the words Yamato, an ancient name for Japan, and nadeshiko, a delicate frilled pink carnation called Dianthus superbus, whose kanji translate into English as "caressable child" (or "wide-eyed barley").[4][5]

The term "Yamato nadeshiko" is often used referring to a girl or shy young woman[6] and, in a contemporary context, nostalgically of women with "good" traits which are perceived as being increasingly rare.[7] However, Nadeshiko Japan is also widely used as the name for the Japanese national women's football team.[8]

Examples of yamato nadeshiko characters in fiction[]

See also[]

  • Cult of Domesticity
  • English Rose (disambiguation)
  • Good Wife, Wise Mother
  • Ideal womanhood
  • Yamato-damashii

References[]

  1. Kenkyūsha's New Japanese-English Dictionary (5th edition, 2003)
  2. Yang Ch’ien-ho and the Work of Writing Modern Selfhood. Satoko Kakihara1 University of California, San Diego
  3. Contesting the nation through a genealogy of girl consciousness, Barbara Hartley School of Asian Studies, University of Auckland
  4. Koujien, Iwanamishoten, all editions—entry for なでしこ
  5. Kanjigen, Gakken, all editions—entries for 撫, 子, 瞿, 麦
  6. Blackberries in the Dream House by Diane Frank. 1st World Publishing, 2003
  7. Yomouri Web:[1] Invalid language code.
  8. Japanese Women and Sport: Beyond Baseball and Sumo by Robin Kietlinski, A&C Black, 1 Dec 2011.

External links and References[]


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