what's the meaning of 打上花火?


I hope it is ok to ask for a translation. there is a song named 打上花火 that I'm
having problems to translate its title. my guess is launched firework? (打上げ +
花火) but where the げ went?




Generally, we don't answer "can you translate this" questions, for different
reasons, unless the question itself shows that you have attempted to do the
work yourself, but I wanted to address your question about the "disappearance"
of げ.

`うちあげ 打ち上げ 打上げ 打上 打ちあげ` the word can be written in different ways. Typically,
in Japanese, four-kanji combinations are preferred in many cases. There is a
fondness for the clean elegance of "four kanji expressions". There is even a
special category of idioms that are made of only four kanji, known as
yojijukugo (Japanese: 四字熟語). Technically 打上花火 does not count as one of these,
as it does not express a complete idiomatic thought, but the popularity of the
form makes it an understandable choice for the title of a song.

As far as your translation goes, "launched firework" is fine... though I might
try for a more poetic title as a matter of choice, something like "Fireworks
in the Sky" or some such....

Additionally, since in English we don't generally distinguish between
different types of fireworks or fireworks in different states, (for example,
the cheap store bought hand-held fireworks are still just "fireworks", the
giant shells that are prepared for large displays are still "fireworks", and
when they explode they are still "fireworks"), it would not be strange for you
to translate 打上花火 simply as "Fireworks" if you wished.




Generally, we don't answer "can you translate this" questions, for different
reasons, unless the question itself shows that you have attempted to do the
work yourself, but I wanted to address your question about the "disappearance"
of げ.

`うちあげ 打ち上げ 打上げ 打上 打ちあげ` the word can be written in different ways. Typically,
in Japanese, four-kanji combinations are preferred in many cases. There is a
fondness for the clean elegance of "four kanji expressions". There is even a
special category of idioms that are made of only four kanji, known as
yojijukugo (Japanese: 四字熟語). Technically 打上花火 does not count as one of these,
as it does not express a complete idiomatic thought, but the popularity of the
form makes it an understandable choice for the title of a song.

As far as your translation goes, "launched firework" is fine... though I might
try for a more poetic title as a matter of choice, something like "Fireworks
in the Sky" or some such....

Additionally, since in English we don't generally distinguish between
different types of fireworks or fireworks in different states, (for example,
the cheap store bought hand-held fireworks are still just "fireworks", the
giant shells that are prepared for large displays are still "fireworks", and
when they explode they are still "fireworks"), it would not be strange for you
to translate 打上花火 simply as "Fireworks" if you wished.

