手袋

• Reading: てぶくろ
• Romaji: tebukuro
• Kanji breakdown: 手 (shu/te) — hand; 袋 (tai/fukuro) — bag, sack
• Pronunciation: /te.bɯ.kɯ.ɾo/

Meaning

Gloves; mittens. Hand coverings worn for warmth or protection.

A compound of 手 (te, hand) and 袋 (fukuro/bukuro, bag). Covers all types of hand coverings including knit gloves, leather gloves, rubber gloves, and mittens. The counter for gloves is 双 (sou, pair) or 枚 (mai) for single gloves.

Examples

1. 冬は手袋がないと手が冷たいです。 In winter, my hands get cold without gloves.
2. 革の手袋をプレゼントにもらった。 I received leather gloves as a gift.
3. 手袋をはめてから雪で遊ぼう。 Put your gloves on before we play in the snow.

Usage Guide

Context: winter, clothing, outdoor activities

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 手 (te, hand) and 袋 (fukuro, bag), with 袋 undergoing rendaku (sequential voicing) to become bukuro. Literally a 'hand bag' that wraps around the hand.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal