くない

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
苦無 苦内

A highly stylized kunai, as often portrayed in fiction

Unknown. The kanji spellings appear to be ateji (当て字).

This term appears to be rare, and it is not listed in many dictionaries.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ᵝna̠i]

Noun

くない • (kunai) 

1. (weaponry) a Japanese weapon, possibly derived from a masonry trowel

Coordinate terms

• 手(しゅ)裏(り)剣(けん) (shuriken)

Derived terms

• 苦(く)無(ない)術(じゅつ) (kunai-jutsu, “kunai technique”)
• 小(しょう)苦(く)無(ない) (shō-kunai, “small kunai”)
• 大(だい)苦(く)無(ない) (dai-kunai, “big kunai”)

Descendants

• → English: kunai

See also

• Throwing knife on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 2

Derived as a repurposing of the negative ending -ku nai of regular -i adjectives. Appears as slang in informal usage where standard Japanese would use じゃない (ja nai) instead.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ᵝna̠i]

Particle

くない • (kunai) 

1. [from 2008?] (informal, slang) isn't it, aren't you (said when seeking confirmation from the listener)

   あるくない？[1]

   Aru kunai?

   They have that, don't they?

   • 2019 August 21, QuizKnock [QuizKnock], 5m30s from the start, in 【判じ絵】江戸時代のなぞなぞに東大生が挑戦！‎^[2], via YouTube:

     江(え)戸(ど)時(じ)代(だい)になると濁(だく)点(てん)あるくない？

     Edo jidai ni naru to dakuten aru kunai?

     We have the voicing mark once we get to the Edo period, don't we?

   • 2020 October 28, QuizKnock [QuizKnock], 3m02s from the start, in ｢ですが｣が全部｢か〜ら〜の〜？｣になるクイズしてみたYO⤴【パリピ】‎^[3], via YouTube:

     つかやばくねコレ？光(ひか)るくね？光(ひか)るくね？

     Tsuka yabakune kore? Hikaru kune? Hikaru kune?

     Dude, but look at this though; it's blinking. Isn't that whack?