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Mostly why 細 is read じ? In every list I looked up 細 can only be read サイ and
亜細亜 is never referenced as 難読 in the entries (about 細) I looked up. What was
the reason to pick 細 for the じ sound? Can we see 細 as じ in other 当て字?
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2016-09-29T14:11:44.763
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2016-09-29T14:53:59.917
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question
kanji ateji
How was 細 chosen in 亜細亜?
細 is read "xi(シ)" in Chinese language, so only the sound seems to be used in
亜細亜.

Country names are written in kanji in China, so country names written in Kanji
in Japan may be affected by China.

Sources: <http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1176604926>
<https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%9B%BD%E5%90%8D%E3%81%AE%E6%BC%A2%E5%AD%97%E8%A1%A8%E8%A8%98%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7>
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2016-09-29T14:53:59.917
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2016-09-29T14:53:59.917
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