claw, nail, talon

About this kanji

The kanji 「爪」 (tsume) means "claw" or "nail," and it can refer to the nails on fingers and toes, as well as the claws of animals. It is typically used as a noun. You will encounter it in compounds like 「爪楊枝」 (tsumayouji), meaning "toothpick," which is used for cleaning teeth, and 「爪切り」 (tsumekiri), meaning "nail clippers," an essential tool for grooming. Another example is 「爪痕」 (tsumeato), which means "fingernail mark" and refers to the marks left by nails. When using this kanji, remember that it can signify both human nails and animal claws, depending on the context.

Example sentences

• 爪を切るのを忘れた。

  I forgot to cut my nails.

Meanings across languages

English

claw, nail, talon

Tiếng Việt

móng

日本語

爪

한국어

발톱

中文

爪

id

cakar

th

กรงเล็บ

es

garra

fr

griffe

de

Klaue

pt

garra

Common compounds

• 爪楊枝つまようじtoothpick
• 爪切りつめきりnail clippers
• 雁爪がんづめclaw hoe, coal-trimming rake
• 爪痕つめあとfingernail mark, scratch, scars (e.g. of war)
• 琴爪ことづめkoto plectrum
• 蹴爪けづめspur (of a chicken, pheasant, etc.), cockspur, calcar
• 小爪こづめlunula, half-moon (of a fingernail)
• 深爪ふかづめcutting a fingernail (or toenail) to the quick, cutting a nail too close, deep-set nail