Dealing with の ambiguities


A simple example:

> 日本語 **の** 勉強 **の** 時間

In theory, there could be several interpretations possible:

> [日本語 **の** 勉強 **の** ] 時間
>
> 日本語 **の** [勉強 **の** 時間]
>
> [日本語 **の** ] [勉強 **の** ] [時間]

Are there any general rules on how to deal with this kind of ambiguity?




It depends.

**(A's B)'s C** :

  * 財布の中の500円玉  
a 500 yen coin in the wallet

  * パパのパパのパパ  
dad's dad's dad

  * 不思議の国のアリス  
Alice in Wonderland

  * 日本語の勉強の時間  
time to study Japanese

**A's (B's C)** :

  * 大阪の道の駅  
[Roadside stations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadside_station) in Osaka

  * ニューヨークの自由の女神  
The Statue of Liberty in New York

  * 円周率の3番目の数字  
the third digit of π

**Whatever** :

  * 今日の東京の天気  
today's weather in Tokyo / weather in Tokyo today

  * 本物の恐竜の写真  
pictures of real dinosaurs / real pictures of dinosaurs

  * ピンク色の熊のぬいぐるみ  
pink stuffed bear / stuffed pink bear

**Ambiguous** :

  * ハワイの宝の地図  
the map of Hawaiian Treasure / the treasure map in Hawaii

  * 彼の親についての話  
his story about parents (in general) / story about his parents

  * ピンク色の犬の尻尾  
the pink tail of a dog / the tail of a pink dog




It depends.

**(A's B)'s C** :

  * 財布の中の500円玉  
a 500 yen coin in the wallet

  * パパのパパのパパ  
dad's dad's dad

  * 不思議の国のアリス  
Alice in Wonderland

  * 日本語の勉強の時間  
time to study Japanese

**A's (B's C)** :

  * 大阪の道の駅  
[Roadside stations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadside_station) in Osaka

  * ニューヨークの自由の女神  
The Statue of Liberty in New York

  * 円周率の3番目の数字  
the third digit of π

**Whatever** :

  * 今日の東京の天気  
today's weather in Tokyo / weather in Tokyo today

  * 本物の恐竜の写真  
pictures of real dinosaurs / real pictures of dinosaurs

  * ピンク色の熊のぬいぐるみ  
pink stuffed bear / stuffed pink bear

**Ambiguous** :

  * ハワイの宝の地図  
the map of Hawaiian Treasure / the treasure map in Hawaii

  * 彼の親についての話  
his story about parents (in general) / story about his parents

  * ピンク色の犬の尻尾  
the pink tail of a dog / the tail of a pink dog

