Yutō Yomi (湯桶読み - Mixed Reading of Japanese and Chinese)

Yutō Yomi

I introduced you to the expression 'jūbako yomi' (重箱読み) yesterday, which means a term that is read as a mixture of a Chinese reading and a Japanese reading.

When the order of Chinese and Japanese readings is reversed, it is called 'yutō yomi' (湯桶読み).

'Yu' (湯) means "hot water," 'tō' (桶) means "bowl," and 'yutō' (湯桶) means a traditional Japanese beverage container.

Here, 'yu' is a Japanese reading and 'tō' (桶) is a Chinese reading.

Since 'yomi' (読み) means "reading," 'yutō yomi' means a term that is read as a mixture of a Japanese and a Chinese reading in this order.

Incidentally, 湯桶 can read as 'yuoke' with only Japanese reading, in which case it generally means "wash-basin."

湯桶読み

昨日は音読みと訓読みの漢字が混ざった熟語を表す「重箱読み」という表現を紹介しました。

音読みと訓読みの漢字の順番が逆である場合は、「湯桶読み」といいます。

「湯（ゆ）」は ""、「桶（とう）」は "" 、そして「湯桶（ゆとう）」は "" を意味します。

ここで、「湯」は訓読み、「桶」は音読みとなっています。

「読み」は "reading" を意味するので、「湯桶読み」とは「湯桶」のように訓読みと音読みが混ざった読み方を意味する表現というわけです。

ちなみに「湯桶」はすべて訓読みで「ゆおけ」と読むこともでき、このときの一般的な意味は「入浴用の桶」となります。