肩かた揚あげを下おろす

expression, godan verb (-su)

come of age (for a girl)

Idiomatic expression referring to a girl reaching adulthood, originally from the custom of letting down the shoulder tucks (肩揚げ) of a kimono. Rare and somewhat dated; modern usage is limited to traditional or literary contexts.

See also: 肩上げ

• 彼かの女じょは肩かた揚あげを下おろす年とし頃ごろになった。

  She has reached the age to come of age (literally, to let down the shoulder tucks).

expression, godan verb (-su)

lengthen the sleeves of a kimono

Literal meaning: to remove the shoulder tucks (肩揚げ) sewn into a child's kimono, thereby lengthening the sleeves as the child grows. Rare, mostly encountered in explanations of traditional clothing.

• 子こ供どもの着き物ものは、成せい長ちょうに合あわせて肩かた揚あげを下おろすことがある。

  For children's kimono, the shoulder tucks are sometimes let down as they grow.