鳥肌

• 読み: とりはだ
• ローマ字: torihada
• 漢字の分解: 鳥 (tori, bird) + 肌 (hada, skin) — describes the goosebump texture resembling plucked bird skin.
• 発音: /to.ɾi.ha.da/

意味

Goosebumps — used to describe an intense emotional or physical reaction to something awe-inspiring, creepy, or deeply moving.

Literally meaning 'bird skin' (referring to the bumpy texture of a plucked bird), 鳥肌 has expanded beyond its original meaning of a physical cold reaction. In modern slang, it is widely used to express being overwhelmed by an amazing performance, a touching moment, or something impressively skilled. Some language purists note that the traditional usage was limited to fear or cold, but the positive usage is now completely mainstream.

例文

1. あのピアニストの演奏、鳥肌立った。
2. サプライズで友達が泣いてるの見て鳥肌だった。
3. ライブの最後の曲で会場全員が歌い出して鳥肌もの だったよ。

使い方ガイド

場面: friends, social media, entertainment reactions

トーン: awestruck, impressed, emotionally overwhelmed

正しい言い方

• あの歌手の生歌、鳥肌もんだったよ！ (That singer's live voice gave me goosebumps!)
• 優勝が決まった瞬間、鳥肌が止まらなかった。 (The moment the championship was decided, I couldn't stop getting goosebumps.)

避ける言い方

• 日常的な些細なことに「鳥肌」は大げさ (Using 鳥肌 for trivial everyday things sounds exaggerated — reserve it for genuinely impressive moments)

よくある間違い

• Confusing 鳥肌 with 鳥肌が立つ — both work but 鳥肌 alone as a reaction is more slangy, while 鳥肌が立つ is the standard expression

起源と歴史

From the literal appearance of goosebumps resembling the skin of a plucked bird (鳥, bird + 肌, skin). Originally described physical reactions to cold or fear, but expanded to positive emotional reactions in modern usage.

文化的背景

時代: Traditional word with modern positive slang usage from 2000s

世代: All ages in casual settings

社会的背景: Universal informal

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. The positive usage was once considered incorrect by purists but is now widely accepted.