ぬめり

ぬ

め

り

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

slime; sliminess; mucus; viscous liquid

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a slippery, viscous coating or substance, often on surfaces like fish skin, vegetables, or wet rocks. Can also describe a slimy texture.

魚さかなの皮かわにはぬめりがある。

Fish skin has a slimy coating.

ぬめりを取とるために、塩しおでこすった。

I rubbed it with salt to remove the slime.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉のぬめりを取とるto remove the slimy coating from something
魚さかなのぬめりをよく取とってから調ちょう理りする。
Remove the fish's slime thoroughly before cooking.
ぬめりが出でるfor sliminess to develop on something
オクラを切きるとぬめりが出でる。
When you cut okra, it becomes slimy.
ぬめりがあるto have a slimy texture or coating
このきのこは表ひょう面めんにぬめりがある。
This mushroom has a slimy surface.

Kanji

滑slippery, slide, slip

Related words

粘ねん液えき
粘液 is the technical/biological term for mucus or viscous fluid, while ぬめり is the everyday word for a slimy coating on things like fish or vegetables.
ぬるぬるN1
ぬるぬる is a colloquial adjective/onomatopoeia describing a slimy, slippery feel, while ぬめり is the noun naming the slimy substance or quality itself.

Don't confuse with

滑すべり
滑り written as すべり means 'sliding/slipperiness' (an action or property), while the same kanji read ぬめり refers to an actual slimy substance or coating.

Written forms

ぬめりUsage75%
It is usually written in kana. This is the standard spelling.
ヌメリUsage25%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling sometimes used for emphasis or in informal contexts.
滑ぬめり
Kanji spelling is rare and may be confused with 滑り (すべり, 'sliding'). Use kana to avoid ambiguity.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 滑る (ぬめる, 'to be slippery'), which is related to 滑る (すべる). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is native Japanese.