Visiting someone in hospital clearly involves seeing that person. But dancing?
Does 舞 have some other, relevant meaning? Did it pertain to a traditional,
sacred dance for health? Or is this ateji?
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2019-04-22T18:35:59.293
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2020-12-17T23:49:49.000
2020-12-17T23:49:49.000
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etymology renyōkei compound-verbs
Etymology of 見舞い
まう has a core meaning of "turn around and around". This word is actually the
root of the modern verb 回【まわ】る, and in the compound 見【み】舞【ま】う and its
derivational noun form 見【み】舞【ま】い, it's the older "turn around" sense that's
key -- not the "dance" sense.

My copy of Shogakukan's 国語大辞典 lists this as the first definition for 見【み】舞【ま】う
(emphasis mine):

> 警戒・監督・見物などのために **見回る。巡視する。**

Note those two verbs on the end of the definition -- they both include the
idea of " **going around** [to see someone / something]". That's where the まう
verb comes in.

In addition, みまう can be spelled 見【み】廻【ま】う, using the 廻 kanji that can also be
used to spell 廻【まわ】る.
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2019-04-22T19:44:19.400
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2019-04-22T19:44:19.400
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answer