noun
muscle; tendon; sinew
Refers to anatomical muscle, tendon, or sinew. Often used in cooking contexts for tough, fibrous parts of meat.
この肉は筋が多いので、よく煮込んだほうがいい。
This meat has a lot of sinew, so it's better to stew it well.
彼の腕には太い筋が浮き出ている。
Thick veins stand out on his arm.
noun
Refers to fibrous texture in food, wood, or fabric. Often used for stringy parts of vegetables or meat.
セロリの筋を取ってから刻んでください。
Please remove the strings from the celery before chopping it.
noun
General term for a thin line, stripe, or streak. Can be used for physical lines, marks, or patterns.
紙に鉛筆で一本の筋を引いた。
I drew a single line on the paper with a pencil.
noun
Used in expressions like 筋が通る (to be logical) or 筋が通らない (to be illogical). Refers to coherence or a line of reasoning.
See also: 筋が通る
彼の説明は筋が通っていてわかりやすい。
His explanation is logical and easy to understand.
noun
Refers to the plot or storyline of a narrative, such as a novel, movie, or play.
この小説は筋が複雑で、何度も読み返した。
This novel has a complex plot, and I reread it many times.
noun
Refers to bloodline or family lineage. Often used in historical or formal contexts.
彼は武士の筋を引いている家系だ。
He comes from a family of samurai lineage.
noun
Used for a school, tradition, or style in scholarship, arts, or martial arts.
彼は茶道の表千家の筋を継いでいる。
He carries on the Omotesenke school of tea ceremony.
noun
Refers to a natural aptitude or talent for something. Often used in phrases like 〜の筋がある.
彼は絵の筋がいいから、すぐに上達するだろう。
He has a talent for drawing, so he'll improve quickly.
noun
source (of information); channel
Refers to a source of information or a channel through which something is obtained. Often used in news or business contexts.
確かな筋からの情報によると、社長は辞任するらしい。
According to a reliable source, the president will resign.
noun
well-informed person (in a deal)
Refers to a person who is knowledgeable or has inside information in a transaction or negotiation.
この業界に詳しい筋に話を聞いてみよう。
Let's ask someone well-informed in this industry.
noun
logical move (in go, shogi)
In board games like go or shogi, refers to a move that follows a logical sequence or strategy.
その一手は筋の良い手で、相手の陣形を崩した。
That move was a logical one and disrupted the opponent's formation.
noun
ninth vertical line (shogi)
In shogi, the ninth vertical line on the board, counted from the right side of each player.
筋の端に歩を打つ手が有効だった。
Placing a pawn at the edge of the ninth file was effective.
noun
seam on a helmet
Refers to the raised seam or ridge on a traditional Japanese helmet (kabuto).
兜の筋の数は、武将の格式を表していた。
The number of seams on the helmet indicated the warrior's rank.
noun
gristly fish paste
Abbreviation of 筋蒲鉾 (sujikamaboko), a type of fish paste made with muscle, tendons, and skin, giving it a gristly texture.
See also: 筋蒲鉾
おでんに筋を入れると、食感が楽しめる。
Adding gristly fish paste to oden gives an enjoyable texture.
noun
social position; status
Archaic term for one's social standing or status.
江戸時代には、筋によって職業が決まることが多かった。
In the Edo period, one's occupation was often determined by social status.
noun, used as a suffix, noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Used as a suffix or with の to indicate something located along a geographical feature like a river or road.
川の筋に沿って桜並木が続いている。
A row of cherry trees continues along the river.
suffix, counter
counter for long thin things; counter for roads/blocks
Counter for long, thin objects like lines, roads, or strands. Also used for blocks when giving directions.
この道を二筋目を右に曲がってください。
Please turn right at the second street.
suffix
Only when written 筋
Used as a suffix in Osaka to indicate a street or district. Restricted to the kanji 筋.
心斎橋筋にはたくさんの店が並んでいる。
Many shops line Shinsaibashi-suji street.
suffix, counter
counter for hundreds of mon (Edo period)
Archaic counter used in the Edo period for hundreds of mon, an obsolete currency unit.
この品物は三筋、つまり三百文で売られていた。
This item was sold for three suji, that is, three hundred mon.
Alternate kanji, rarely used in modern Japanese for this reading.
筋肉 specifically means 'muscle' as body tissue, while 筋 can refer to muscle, tendon, or sinew in a broader sense.
線 is a general term for 'line' in geometry or drawing, while 筋 often implies a thin, natural line or streak.
血管 is the medical term for 'blood vessel', while 筋 is a more colloquial term for visible veins or arteries.
The kanji 筋 originally depicted bamboo fibers and came to mean 'sinew' or 'line'. The reading すじ is a native Japanese word. The alternate kanji 条 is used for 'line' or 'article' but is rare for this reading.