Japanese edit

Etymology 1 edit

Kanji in this term
ねじ
Jinmeiyō Grade: 1
jukujikun
Alternative spellings
捻子 (rare)
捩子 (rare)
螺旋 (rare)
ネジ

/nedi//ned͡ʑi/

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, stem or continuative form) of 上一段活用 (kami ichidan katsuyō, upper monograde conjugation) verb 捩じる (nejiru, to screw, twist).[1] Alteratively, from the stem form of classical 上二段活用 (kami nidan katsuyō, upper bigrade conjugation) verb 捩づ (nedzu → nezu) of the same meaning.[2]

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

螺子(ねじ) or 螺子(ネジ) (nejiねぢ (nedi)?

  1. a screw
  2. a spring or coil that can be wound, such as that of a clock
  3. (figurative) marbles (sanity)
    (あたま)ネジ()んだ
    atama no neji ga tonda
    crazy
    (literally, “the screws in one's head have flown elsewhere”)
    (あたま)ネジ(はず)れている
    atama no neji ga hazureteiru
    crazy
    (literally, “the screws in one's head are loose”)
    • 2008, Midori (lyrics and music), “Osaru”, in aratamemashite hajimemashite midoridesu:
      あの()はね、(あたま)のさ、ネジがちょっと(よわ)くってね
      ano ko wa ne, atama no sa, neji ga chotto yowakutte ne
      that girl's a bit crazy in the head
      (literally, “that girl's screws are slightly loose”)
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Idioms edit

Etymology 2 edit

Kanji in this term

Jinmeiyō

Grade: 1
on’yomi

From (ra, generic name for shellfish with spiral shells) +‎ (-shi, diminutive suffix).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

()() (rashi

  1. a screw
    Synonyms: スクリュー (sukuryū), 螺子釘 (nejikugi)

References edit

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006) 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. ^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN