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うなぎの寝床 (unaginonedoko) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
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寝ね
床どこ
」
と
呼よ
ば
れる
細ほそ
長なが
い
家いえ
です
。
Kyoto townhouses are long, narrow houses called 'eel beds'.
This shop is deep and narrow like an eel bed.
Kanji 床 bed, counter for beds, floor Related words 町まち 家や Refers specifically to traditional townhouses, often the very buildings described as うなぎの寝床.
細ほそ 長なが い General adjective meaning 'long and narrow'; うなぎの寝床 is a figurative noun phrase for such a building.
Written forms うなぎの 寝ね 床どこ
Common kana-kanji mixed spelling; the phrase is often written this way.
鰻うなぎ の 寝ね 床どこ
Full kanji spelling; less common but still seen.
Etymology Literally 'eel's bed', from the image of an eel resting in a narrow crevice. The phrase arose from the resemblance of long, narrow buildings to this shape.
