引ひき金がね

ひ

き

が

ね

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

trigger (of a gun, etc.)

Literal trigger of a firearm or similar mechanism.

彼かれは引ひき金がねを引ひいたが、弾たまは出でなかった。
He pulled the trigger, but the bullet didn't come out.

2

noun

trigger (for something);

immediate cause

Figurative use: an event or factor that directly causes something to happen.

その発はつ言げんが喧けん嘩かの引ひき金がねになった。
That remark triggered the fight.
小ちいさなミスが大おおきな事じ故この引ひき金がねになることもある。
A small mistake can sometimes trigger a major accident.

Written forms

引ひき金がねUsage83%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
引ひき金がねUsage11%
Less common variant without okurigana.
引鉄ひきがねUsage4%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
引ひきがねUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kana form; not a standard written spelling.
引ひき鉄がねUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form using 鉄; it is rarely used.

Kanji

引pull, tug, jerk
金gold
鉄iron

Similar words

きっかけ
きっかけ is a more general and softer word for a chance or opportunity that starts something, while 引き金 emphasizes a direct, often negative, causal trigger.

Etymology

Compound of 引き (hiki, 'pulling') + 金 (kane, 'metal'). The reading がね is a rendaku form of かね. Originally referred to the metal trigger of a matchlock gun.