貝合わせ

Japanese

Kanji in this term
貝	合
かい Grade: 1	あ Grade: 2
kun'yomi

Etymology

貝 (kai, “shellfish”) +‎ 合わせ (awase, “joining together”)

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) かいあわせ [kàíáꜜwàsè] (Nakadaka – [3])^[1]
IPA^(key): [ka̠ia̠β̞a̠se̞]

Noun

貝(かい)合(あ)わせ • (kaiawase) ^{←かひあはせ (kafiafase)^?}

kai-awase (a Heian period game involving matching two pieces of a clamshell)
(slang) tribadism

Usage notes

The game of kai-awase involves choosing one of two pieces of a clam or other bivalve shell, and attempting to find the matching piece, similar to the game of concentration or pelmanism. A similar image would be painted on each piece of the shell.

References

^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DJR-1] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[1]