傀儡

From 塊／块 (kuài, “chunk, lump”) + 壘／垒 (lěi, “to pile up, to accumulate”).

Semantically, “statues made of soil and timber” (Liezi) > “puppet” > “(figurative) puppet” (Qing Dynasty); also “sulks; pent-up sorrow” (Qing Dynasty).

Alternatively, Laufer connects this word with Turkish kukla (“puppet”), Ancient Greek κούκλα (koúkla, “doll, puppet”) in Oriental Theatricals.

傀儡

1. puppet; marionette
2. (figurative) puppet; someone who is manipulated by another; pawn; minion
3. (dialectal Min Dong) child; kid

• (puppet): 木偶 (mù'ǒu)
• (someone manipulated by another): (Cantonese) 扯線公仔／扯线公仔 (chěxiàn gōngzǎi)
• (child; kid):

傀儡

1. (obsolete) sulks; pent-up sorrow

Perhaps cognate with 裹 (kugutsu, “hand bag”). Wandering artisans would put their puppets in hand bags while traveling. Also compare Korean 꼭두 (kkokdu, “phantom”).

• (Tokyo) く​ぐつ [kúꜜgùtsù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Tokyo) くぐつ [kùgútsú] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ᵝɡɯ̟ᵝt͡sɨᵝ]

傀儡(くぐつ) • (kugutsu) 

1. a puppet
   • 794, Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki (page 39-40)

     機関 木人 久々都

2. (history) Synonym of 傀儡子 (kugutsushi, “wandering street puppeteer”)
3. a puppetmaster

   Synonym: 傀儡子 (kugutsushi)

4. a geisha

   Synonyms: 芸者 (geisha), 芸子 (geiko), 芸妓 (geigi), 傀儡女 (kugutsume)

5. a prostitute

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:娼婦

/kwairai/ > /kairai/.

• (Tokyo) かいらい [kàíráí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ka̠iɾa̠i]

傀(かい)儡(らい) • (kairai) ^{←くわいらい (kwairai)?}

1. a puppet

   傀(かい)儡(らい)政(せい)権(けん)

   kairai seiken

   a puppet government

2. Synonym of 傀儡師 (kairaishi, “puppetmaster”)

• Unknown (794), Yoshinori Kobayashi, editor, Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki (Kojisho Ongi Shūsei) (in Japanese), volume 1, Kyūko Shoin, published 1978, →ISBN.

傀儡 • (goeroe) (hangeul 괴뢰)

1. Hanja form^? of 괴뢰 (“puppet”).