Unknown Hiragana く°

DemstarAus

先輩

6 Jul 2011

30

0

• 11 Aug 2011

• #1

く°

I saw this ひらがな while watching Spirited Away, when Chihiro was running through the restaurant district near the start of the film, it was on a sign.

I've never seen it before and want to know if it's an old symbol no longer used. It's definitely not ぐ. I had to use a Celsius symbol to make it.

A little odd, but if you could tell me what on Earth it means, that'd be great.

Dem (^_^)v

 

Lledargo

先輩

14 Jul 2010

486

12

• 11 Aug 2011

• #2

maybe a messed up ぺ?

 

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

Twenty-year veteran

15 Mar 2002

16,758

2,298

• 11 Aug 2011

• #3

I believe it was made-up nonsense script to illustrate the other-worldly nature of where she ended up. Sort of a "down the rabbit hole" thing.

 

DemstarAus

先輩

6 Jul 2011

30

0

• 12 Aug 2011

• Thread starter
• #4

That makes sense... I do have a screenshot but I can't upload it as my bandwidth is out. The whole sign says ぶく°... not that it would mean anything, just to anyone that's curious?

 

epigene

相変わらず不束者です

10 Nov 2004

4,354

179

• 12 Aug 2011

• #5

I've seen the film and like it. Unfortunately, I don't remember the signs at all...

I'm pretty sure Mike is right. The otherworldly atmosphere in the stores and whatnot, I do remember.

 

S

saheki51

後輩

27 Jul 2011

14

0

• 13 Aug 2011

• #6

I've never watched the movie, but I found a trailer on Youtube.


0:44, there is a sign. I read it "おでんおでんおで", but I'm no sure about ん. This house looks like おでん屋 to me, so I thought it's おでん. I think this で might be it.

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 13 Aug 2011

• #7

Here's a map of 油屋[Yuya] town Chihiro wandered into. The letters/characters are tiny and therefore hard to decipher, but the store that sells ぶく゜is on the near side of the steps.
There are also stores there selling め(eyes), 唇(lips) or even 鬼(ogres) or 呪(curses).

 

E

eeky

先輩

8 Jun 2010

2,431

22

• 13 Aug 2011

• #8

Does く゜suggest any pronunciation?

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 13 Aug 2011

• #9

It wouldn't refer to a specific pronunciation in the movie. It's just an otherworldly symbol, as already mentioned. But か゜き゜く゜け゜こ゜ are sometimes used to describe 鼻濁音 "velar nasal g" in textbooks for Japanese pronunciation education.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BC%...A1.A8.E8.A8.98

 

AJBryant

先輩

Rest in Peace

6 Jan 2007

318

22

• 13 Aug 2011

• #10

I think I'm going to have to find my copy of the film and look for this scene.

 

DemstarAus

先輩

6 Jul 2011

30

0

• 13 Aug 2011

• Thread starter
• #11

AJBryant said:

I think I'm going to have to find my copy of the film and look for this scene.

Click to expand...

It's very near the start of the film, near when Chihiro meets Haku.