首

• Reading: くび
• Romaji: kubi
• Kanji breakdown: 首 (shu/kubi) — neck, head, chief
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.bi/

Meaning

Neck. The body part connecting the head to the shoulders.

Used literally for the neck and in many idiomatic expressions. 首になる (kubi ni naru) means to be fired from a job. 首を長くして待つ (kubi wo nagaku shite matsu) means to wait eagerly. 首を振る (kubi wo furu) means to shake one's head. Also appears in 手首 (tekubi, wrist) and 足首 (ashikubi, ankle).

Examples

1. 首が痛くて横を向けません。 My neck hurts and I can't turn to the side.
2. マフラーを首に巻いた。 I wrapped a scarf around my neck.
3. 彼は会社を首になったらしい。 Apparently he got fired from the company.

Usage Guide

Context: body, health, idioms, work

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 首 depicts a head with hair, originally meaning 'head' but shifting in Japanese to refer primarily to the neck.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal