How can [数]{す}[寄]{き}[者]{しゃ} both mean a tea ceremony master and a "lewd man, a lecher"?


I would like to understand better the etymology or the cultural context
surrounding

> 数寄者

If I believe [wwwjdic](http://www.edrdg.org/cgi-
bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%BF%F4%B4%F3%BC%D4), this compound is used to denote

  * a tea ceremony master (with a reference to a style of tea ceremony house architecture (数奇屋造り)) 

  * a man of refined tastes

  * a lewd man, a lecher

I do not succeed to understand the japanese wikipedia article about this to
see how they can be conflated in this way. There seems to be a famous poem
involved and a warning about consuming one's wealth in the purchasing objects
and services related to the arts.

Also why is 数 part of this. As a meaning for several? A man mastering the
several arts involved in a tea ceremony?




To answer the last part of your question first, 数 is part of this for it's
_pronunciation_ , not meaning. This is called _ateji_ , which is when kanji
are used to **phonetically** represent words. 寿司 (すし / sushi) is a common
example of this. Translations that follow are my own.

According to the [Japanese Wikipedia page for
数寄者](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%95%B0%E5%AF%84%E8%80%85), 「数寄」originally
held the same meaning as 「好き」 and remains in its _ateji_ form due to its now
distinct meaning. It shows particular fondness for artistic pursuits. However,
in modern usage, its usage is approaching that of 「物好き」 -- which, while
literally meaning curious or whimsical, generally holds something more of a
negative, even _strange_ connotation (as I understand it).

Looking in [Goo's
dictionary](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/117613/m0u/%E6%95%B0%E5%AF%84%E8%80%85/),
three definitions are listed, roughly analogous to [those in
WWWJDIC](http://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%BF%F4%B4%F3%BC%D4):

  1. A _curious_ (物好き) person. A person of fantastic taste. 
  2. A person devoted to elegant tools, especially those related to tea ceremony. A refined person.
  3. A lecherous or lustful person.

It also notes in #1 and #3 that it is a synonym for すきもの.

I see two primary possibilities for meaning #3 has come to be. The less likely
of the two is the actual **meanings** of the kanji used. 「数」 in its sense of
_many_ , and 「奇」 in its sense of _strange_ or _eccentric_ (as seen in 奇人
kijin) may have combined to roughly mean _person of many eccentric tastes_ ,
which could have shifted to its current meaning. I think this is likely
reading into it too much, and is unlikely.

The other possibility is its association with the word すきもの, which is another
possible reading for 「数寄者」, as well as the only reading of 「好き者」.
[WWWJDIC](http://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%B9%A5%A4%AD%BC%D4)
lists "lecher" as the only definition for 「好き者」, while
[Goo](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/117706/m0u/%E5%A5%BD%E3%81%8D%E8%80%85/)
lists "eccentric person" as well. Despite that, it seems likely that either a
misreading of or simply sharing similar pronunciations lead to this meaning
being associated with 「数寄者」.




To answer the last part of your question first, 数 is part of this for it's
_pronunciation_ , not meaning. This is called _ateji_ , which is when kanji
are used to **phonetically** represent words. 寿司 (すし / sushi) is a common
example of this. Translations that follow are my own.

According to the [Japanese Wikipedia page for
数寄者](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%95%B0%E5%AF%84%E8%80%85), 「数寄」originally
held the same meaning as 「好き」 and remains in its _ateji_ form due to its now
distinct meaning. It shows particular fondness for artistic pursuits. However,
in modern usage, its usage is approaching that of 「物好き」 -- which, while
literally meaning curious or whimsical, generally holds something more of a
negative, even _strange_ connotation (as I understand it).

Looking in [Goo's
dictionary](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/117613/m0u/%E6%95%B0%E5%AF%84%E8%80%85/),
three definitions are listed, roughly analogous to [those in
WWWJDIC](http://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%BF%F4%B4%F3%BC%D4):

  1. A _curious_ (物好き) person. A person of fantastic taste. 
  2. A person devoted to elegant tools, especially those related to tea ceremony. A refined person.
  3. A lecherous or lustful person.

It also notes in #1 and #3 that it is a synonym for すきもの.

I see two primary possibilities for meaning #3 has come to be. The less likely
of the two is the actual **meanings** of the kanji used. 「数」 in its sense of
_many_ , and 「奇」 in its sense of _strange_ or _eccentric_ (as seen in 奇人
kijin) may have combined to roughly mean _person of many eccentric tastes_ ,
which could have shifted to its current meaning. I think this is likely
reading into it too much, and is unlikely.

The other possibility is its association with the word すきもの, which is another
possible reading for 「数寄者」, as well as the only reading of 「好き者」.
[WWWJDIC](http://www.edrdg.org/cgi-bin/wwwjdic/wwwjdic?1MDJ%B9%A5%A4%AD%BC%D4)
lists "lecher" as the only definition for 「好き者」, while
[Goo](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/117706/m0u/%E5%A5%BD%E3%81%8D%E8%80%85/)
lists "eccentric person" as well. Despite that, it seems likely that either a
misreading of or simply sharing similar pronunciations lead to this meaning
being associated with 「数寄者」.

