つるっぱげ

つ

る

っ

ぱ

げ

Meanings

noun

shiny bald head; person with a shiny bald head

usually written using kana alone

Colloquial and slightly humorous term for a completely bald, shiny head or the person who has one. Often used in casual, teasing, or self-deprecating contexts.

おじいちゃんはつるっぱげで、いつも帽ぼう子しをかぶっている。
Grandpa has a shiny bald head and always wears a hat.
彼かれは若わかいのにもうつるっぱげだ。
He's already bald and shiny-headed even though he's young.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

禿become bald, bare, wear out

Related words

はげ
はげ is the general term for baldness or a bald spot, while つるっぱげ specifically emphasizes a shiny, completely bald head.
スキンヘッド
スキンヘッド refers to a deliberately shaved head, whereas つるっぱげ often implies natural baldness with a shiny scalp.

Written forms

つるっぱげUsage50%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form つるっ禿 is rare and not commonly used.
つるっ禿ぱげUsage50%
Rare kanji spelling; the character 禿 means 'bald' but this form is seldom seen.
ツルッパゲ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling used for emphasis or in casual writing.

Etymology

From つるつる (smooth, slippery) and はげ (baldness), with the つる reduplicated and geminated for emphasis. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it is a colloquial compound.