Gender Masculine & Feminine
Usage Japanese
Scripts 司, 官, 宰, 士, 吏, 主, 典, 束, 司紗, 司沙, 束早, 津香紗, 都加沙, etc.(Japanese Kanji) つかさ(Japanese Hiragana) ツカサ(Japanese Katakana)
Meaning & History
From 司 (tsukasa), which can refer to an office or an official (also 官 as a name) as well as a chief, head or manager (also 宰 as a name), likely evolved from the now archaic meaning of "mound, (small) hill" by way of decrees being announced from a high point. The two theories placed by Orikuchi and Ōtsuki & Yamada differ but do share similarities, Orikuchi understanding it to have a relationship with the word 塚 (tsuka) meaning "mound, heap, hillock," Ōtsuki and Yamada combining 積み (tsumi) meaning "pile, stack" with 嵩 (kasa) meaning "bulk, volume, quantity."
Other single kanji used in relation to 司 include 士 meaning "samurai," 吏 meaning "officer," 主 meaning "head, master," 典 meaning "rule, law" and 束 meaning "strut; bundle." They can also be suffixed with a sa kanji, such as 紗 meaning "gauze," 沙 meaning "sand" or 早 meaning "early." The first element can also be split into two, with a tsu kanji like 津 meaning "harbour, haven" or 都 meaning "metropolis" and a ka kanji such as 香 meaning "fragrance" or 加 meaning "addition."
Other single kanji used in relation to 司 include 士 meaning "samurai," 吏 meaning "officer," 主 meaning "head, master," 典 meaning "rule, law" and 束 meaning "strut; bundle." They can also be suffixed with a sa kanji, such as 紗 meaning "gauze," 沙 meaning "sand" or 早 meaning "early." The first element can also be split into two, with a tsu kanji like 津 meaning "harbour, haven" or 都 meaning "metropolis" and a ka kanji such as 香 meaning "fragrance" or 加 meaning "addition."