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  3. Geography

甲

English translation: ko

11:18 Apr 16, 2011
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Geography / Part of an address
Japanese term or phrase: 甲
Part of the following address:
広島県、尾道市、浦崎町甲５６－１
What does 甲 stand for?
Shobhana Chandu
Local time: 16:17
English translation:ko
Explanation:
Ko（甲）、 Otsu（乙）、 Hei （丙）and Tei（丁） ・・・which are called 'JIKKAN(十干(consists of ten stems )）' and are the Japanese equivalents to a, b, c, d.... . It is said that they were invented in ancient China before 1100 BC.as a way of counting years, months, days, hours as well as fortune telling.

The reference of 'jikkan'（十干）
http://ja.wiktionary.org/wiki/十干


The reason why 甲 is written as 'ko' in English

地名のアルファベット表記は、例えば「大崎」は読みの上では「Oosaki」となりますが、連続している "O" を省略して「Osaki」と表記する傾向があります。
地名以外のもの（スポーツ選手名など）では、"O" のあとに "H" を入れるものもあります。
また、「東京」を「Toukyou」と書かず「Tokyo」と書くように、"O" と "U" が連続しているときは "U" を省略する傾向があります。
reference :http://memorva.jp/zipcode/index.php

As a rule, 'u' is omitted.
東京　→　Tokyo
大阪 →Osaka
日光→　Nikko
京都→　Kyoto
・・・・－町　→　cho
・・・―丁目　→　chome



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2011-04-16 17:31:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

reference of brief overview of jikkan:
http://www.weblio.jp/wkpja/content/十干_十干の概要





--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2011-04-16 22:59:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As a rule, 'u' is omitted.
東京　→　Tokyo (×Toukyou)
大阪 →Osaka(×OOsaka)
日光→　Nikko(×Nikkou)
京都→　Kyoto(×kyouto)
・・・・－町　→　cho(×chou)
・・・―丁目　→　chome(×choume)
北海道→　Hokkaido(×Hokkaidou)

In this case,甲(ko) (and Otsu（乙）、 Hei （丙）and Tei（丁） )is (or are) used to divide the town district to clearly the further details of the address.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2011-04-16 23:15:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

amended:
In this case,甲(ko) (and Otsu（乙）、 Hei （丙）and Tei（丁） )is (or are) used to divide the town district to clarify the further details of the address.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2011-04-17 00:00:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Please see the link below,which you find the counterpart of 甲 is 'ko'.
http://memorva.jp/zipcode/map.php?pref=香川県&city=小豆郡土庄町&zipco...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 hrs (2011-04-17 00:49:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As described in the link above, Japan Post uses it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs (2011-04-17 03:11:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As the link below, 浦崎町乙（otsu)exists. So 甲 is written as ’ko'.
http://map.yahoo.co.jp/address?ac=34205&az=1.6A1AWYNX73

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2011-04-17 05:12:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As the link below, 浦崎町乙（otsu)exists. So 甲 can be pronounced as ’ko'. It might not make a big difference, ko is a formal name in English.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days21 hrs (2011-04-19 09:13:25 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thank you:-)!
Selected response from:

Mami Yamaguchi
Japan
Local time: 19:47
Grading comment
Thank you.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3Kou
Yasutomo Kanazawa
3 +2ko
Mami Yamaguchi
3Hiroshima, Onomichi, 56-1 Urasaki Party Town
Constantinos Faridis (X)


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Hiroshima, Onomichi, 56-1 Urasaki Party Town


Explanation:
Hiroshima, Onomichi, 56-1 Urasaki Party Town

Constantinos Faridis (X)
Greece
Local time: 13:47
Native speaker of: Greek
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Kou


Explanation:
Kou here refers to "first" deriving from the term 甲乙丙丁. This originally refers to the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_stem

In this case, 甲 is the first element of the Chinese celestial stem.
This is called 十干 in Japanese.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/十干

As regards to what it means, please refer below:

（こう）番地号の一つ。日本特有のものであり、郡部を中心にまれにみられる表記（地番・甲乙丙丁を参照）。

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/甲_(曖昧さ回避)

Since this term is unique, I would put it as Kou after the name of the town.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-04-16 14:05:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Seems like the page is not properly displayed.

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/特別:検索/甲_(曖昧さ回避

Yasutomo Kanazawa
Japan
Local time: 19:47
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Julian Rippon
12 mins
  -> Thank you very much!
neutral  Yumico Tanaka (X): Are you sure it is "Kou" not "Shin" or "Kanoto" ? The Wikipedia only shows common pronunciations but as this is a name of a town, it could be anything. Names of people or towns in Japan can often disregard those rules.
2 hrs
  -> Please see the very first hit on http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/特別:検索/甲_(曖昧さ回避//I believe it's same as 大字or字, which is read as 「おおあざ」or「あざ」, used in addresses.
agree  Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.): See: http://map.yahoo.co.jp/address?ac=39206
12 hrs
  -> Thank you Soonthon!
agree  crossroad
1 day 17 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ko


Explanation:
Ko（甲）、 Otsu（乙）、 Hei （丙）and Tei（丁） ・・・which are called 'JIKKAN(十干(consists of ten stems )）' and are the Japanese equivalents to a, b, c, d.... . It is said that they were invented in ancient China before 1100 BC.as a way of counting years, months, days, hours as well as fortune telling.

The reference of 'jikkan'（十干）
http://ja.wiktionary.org/wiki/十干


The reason why 甲 is written as 'ko' in English

地名のアルファベット表記は、例えば「大崎」は読みの上では「Oosaki」となりますが、連続している "O" を省略して「Osaki」と表記する傾向があります。
地名以外のもの（スポーツ選手名など）では、"O" のあとに "H" を入れるものもあります。
また、「東京」を「Toukyou」と書かず「Tokyo」と書くように、"O" と "U" が連続しているときは "U" を省略する傾向があります。
reference :http://memorva.jp/zipcode/index.php

As a rule, 'u' is omitted.
東京　→　Tokyo
大阪 →Osaka
日光→　Nikko
京都→　Kyoto
・・・・－町　→　cho
・・・―丁目　→　chome



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2011-04-16 17:31:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

reference of brief overview of jikkan:
http://www.weblio.jp/wkpja/content/十干_十干の概要





--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2011-04-16 22:59:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As a rule, 'u' is omitted.
東京　→　Tokyo (×Toukyou)
大阪 →Osaka(×OOsaka)
日光→　Nikko(×Nikkou)
京都→　Kyoto(×kyouto)
・・・・－町　→　cho(×chou)
・・・―丁目　→　chome(×choume)
北海道→　Hokkaido(×Hokkaidou)

In this case,甲(ko) (and Otsu（乙）、 Hei （丙）and Tei（丁） )is (or are) used to divide the town district to clearly the further details of the address.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2011-04-16 23:15:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

amended:
In this case,甲(ko) (and Otsu（乙）、 Hei （丙）and Tei（丁） )is (or are) used to divide the town district to clarify the further details of the address.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2011-04-17 00:00:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Please see the link below,which you find the counterpart of 甲 is 'ko'.
http://memorva.jp/zipcode/map.php?pref=香川県&city=小豆郡土庄町&zipco...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 hrs (2011-04-17 00:49:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As described in the link above, Japan Post uses it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs (2011-04-17 03:11:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As the link below, 浦崎町乙（otsu)exists. So 甲 is written as ’ko'.
http://map.yahoo.co.jp/address?ac=34205&az=1.6A1AWYNX73

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2011-04-17 05:12:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

As the link below, 浦崎町乙（otsu)exists. So 甲 can be pronounced as ’ko'. It might not make a big difference, ko is a formal name in English.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days21 hrs (2011-04-19 09:13:25 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thank you:-)!

Mami Yamaguchi
Japan
Local time: 19:47
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
Thank you.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  MariyaN (X)
3 hrs
  -> ありがとうございます！
agree  Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.): See: http://map.yahoo.co.jp/address?ac=39206
6 hrs
  -> ありがとうございます！
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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