きめ

also: きり

き

め

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

texture; feel

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the surface quality of skin, fabric, or other materials; often used in beauty and craft contexts.

この布ぬのはきめが細こまかくて、肌はだ触ざわりがいい。
This fabric has a fine texture and feels good against the skin.
彼かの女じょはきめの整ととのった肌はだをしている。
She has smooth-textured skin.

noun

grain; wood grain

usually written using kana alone

Typically used for the natural pattern in wood; the kanji 木目 is especially associated with this sense.

Usage patterns

肌はだのきめthe texture of one's skin
彼かの女じょは肌はだのきめが整ととのっていてとても美うつくしい。
Her skin texture is so smooth and even, it's beautiful.
きめが細こまかいto be fine-textured; to be meticulous
この化け粧しょう品ひんを使つかうと肌はだのきめが細こまかくなる。
Using this cosmetic makes your skin texture finer.
木き目めが美うつくしいthe wood grain is beautiful
このテーブルは木き目めが美うつくしい。
This table has a beautiful wood grain.
きめを整ととのえるto even out one's skin texture
美び容よう液えきで肌はだのきめを整ととのえる。
I use a serum to even out my skin's texture.

Kanji

木tree, wood
目eye, class, look
肌texture, skin, body
理logic, arrangement, reason

Related words

木もく目め sense 2
木目 (もくめ) is the more formal or technical reading for wood grain, while 木目 (きめ) is the everyday word that also covers texture and detail.
質しつ感かん sense 1
質感 is a more formal, descriptive term for the perceived texture of a material, while きめ focuses on the fineness or coarseness of the surface itself.
触しょっ感かん sense 1
触感 emphasizes the tactile sensation when touching something, whereas きめ describes the surface's inherent grain or fineness.

Don't confuse with

決きめ
決め (from 決める, meaning 'decision' or 'fixing') is a homophone of きめ 'texture/grain' but is a completely unrelated noun.

Word family

木き目め込こみ
wooden doll made with kimekomi technique · kimekomi makeup (theater) · kimekomi art (paper/cloth/paste)
木き目め込こみ人にん形ぎょう
kimekomi doll; wooden doll with cloth costume tucked into grooves

Built from

木き+目め

Written forms

きめUsage4%
Kana spelling is standard for all senses; usually written in kana.
きりUsage88%
木き目めUsage3%
Kanji spelling used especially for the wood-grain sense; can also be read もくめ.
キメUsage3%
肌理Usage1%
- きめ
  Rare kanji spelling for the texture sense; also has the reading きり.
- きり
  Rare reading of 肌理 for the texture sense.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain; possibly related to the verb 決める (to decide, to set), but the connection is not clear. The kanji 肌理 and 木目 are semantic compounds for texture and wood grain respectively.