つねる

• Reading: つねる
• Romaji: tsuneru
• Kanji breakdown: 抓 (sou/tsune) — to pinch, to nip (rarely written in kanji)
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.ne.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To pinch; to nip the skin between the fingers; to tweak.

A Group 1 (godan) verb. The kanji form 抓る exists but is rarely used; つねる is almost always written in hiragana. Describes the physical act of pinching skin. Common in contexts of mild punishment, checking if one is dreaming, or expressing teasing affection.

Examples

1. 夢かと思って自分の腕をつねってみた。 Wondering if it was a dream, I pinched my own arm.
2. 子供が悪さをするたびに母親に頬をつねられた。 Every time the child misbehaved, his mother would pinch his cheek.
3. 彼女はいたずらっぽく彼の手をつねった。 She playfully pinched his hand.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, physical expression, children

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Of Old Japanese origin. The kanji 抓 depicts the hand radical (扌) with a phonetic component suggesting pinching action. The verb has been in common use since the classical period.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical-Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal