noun
sloping shoulders; drooping shoulders
Describes shoulders that slope downward gently, often considered a feminine or graceful feature in Japanese aesthetics.
彼女はなで肩で、和服がよく似合う。
She has sloping shoulders and looks great in Japanese clothes.
なで肩の人は、リュックがずり落ちやすい。
People with sloping shoulders tend to have their backpacks slip off easily.
いかり肩 describes square, broad shoulders that rise sharply, the opposite of なで肩.
Compound of 撫で (nade, 'stroking', from 撫でる) + 肩 (kata, 'shoulder'), referring to the gently sloping shape as if stroked smooth.