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ねぐら Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ねぐら

ね

ぐ

ら

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

roost; nest

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a place where birds or animals regularly sleep or rest, such as a roost or nest.

夕ゆう方がたになると、カラスがねぐらに帰かえっていく。
In the evening, the crows return to their roost.

2

noun

pad; crib; one's home; sleeping place

colloquialusually written using kana alone

Colloquial term for one's own home or a place to crash, similar to 'pad' or 'crib' in English.

今こん夜やは俺おれのねぐらに泊とまっていいよ。
You can crash at my place tonight.

Written forms

ねぐらUsage86%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 塒 is rare and may not be widely recognized.
塒ねぐらUsage9%
Rare kanji form; learners are unlikely to encounter it.
寝ねぐらUsage5%
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage; included for search coverage only.

Kanji

塒roost, hen coop, spiral
寝lie down, sleep, rest

Similar words

巣す
巣 is a general word for nest, den, or web, while ねぐら specifically emphasizes a sleeping or resting place, often for birds.
住すみか
住みか is a more neutral term for a dwelling or habitat, whereas ねぐら in its colloquial sense is slangy and informal.

Etymology

Compound of 寝 (ne, 'sleep') and 鞍 (kura, 'saddle'), originally referring to a bird's perch shaped like a saddle. The exact historical development is uncertain.