ちゅうげん

[中元] midyear gift ［present］ 【C】中元の時期にする贈り物

¶→中元大売り出し

中元
15th day of the 7th lunar month
(last day of) Bon lantern festival
Bon gifts
中原
middle of a field
middle of a country
field of contest
仲間
samurai's attendant
footman

* * *

ちゅうげん【中元】

midyear gift ［present］ 〖C〗中元の時期にする贈り物

¶ → 中元大売り出し

* * *

I

ちゅうげん【中元】

the fifteenth day of the seventh month (according to the lunar calendar); the summer gift period (about July 1-15); 〔贈物〕 a summer [midyear] present [gift].

●お中元に行く pay a visit 《to sb》 to present a summer gift.

●中元のやり取り an exchange of summer presents.

中元売り出し a summer [midyear] sale.

II

ちゅうげん【中原】

〔野原の中央〕 the center of a field; 〔国の中央〕 the central districts 《of a country》; 〔競争の場〕 the field of contest.

●中原に覇を争う compete for supremacy in a country.

・中原に鹿を逐(_お)う contend [contest] for the object of one's ambition.

III

ちゅうげん【中間】

an attendant on a samurai; a servant; a lackey; a flunkey; a footman; an amanuensis.

中間部屋 a servant's quarters.

IV

ちゅうげん【忠言】

(good, honest) advice; counsel. [＝ちゅうこく]

●忠言耳に逆らう. Good advice is [sounds] harsh to the ear.