付つけ焼やき刃ば

つ

け

や

き

ば

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

makeshift; stopgap; superficial preparation

Describes something hastily prepared or superficial, like cramming for a test or a thin veneer of knowledge. Often used critically of skills or measures that lack depth.

彼かれの英えい語ごは付つけ焼

やき

刃ば

だ

から

、

すぐ

に

ボロ

が

出で

る

。

His English is just a thin veneer, so his weaknesses quickly show.

付つけ焼やき刃ばの知ち識しきで議ぎ論ろんしても、すぐに論ろん破ぱされるよ。

If you argue with superficial knowledge, you'll be refuted right away.

noun

blunt sword with a tempered edge

Original literal meaning: a sword made by welding a hardened steel edge onto a softer iron body, producing a blade that looks sharp but is actually weak. Now mostly used to explain the origin of the figurative sense.

「付つけ焼やき刃ば」とは、もともと焼やきの入はいった刃はを付つけた粗そ悪あくな刀かたなのことだ。
Originally, 付け焼刃 referred to a poor-quality sword made by attaching a tempered edge.

Kanji

付adhere, attach, refer to
焼bake, burning
刃blade, sword, edge

Related words

小こ手て先さき
付け焼き刃 describes knowledge or skill hastily acquired just for show, while 小手先 refers more broadly to any shallow trick or short-term measure lacking real substance.

Built from

つける+焼やき刃ば

Written forms

付つけ焼やき刃ば
Standard spelling for both the literal sword meaning and the figurative 'makeshift' sense.
付つけ焼やき刃ば
Variant with okurigana き; less common but still encountered.

Etymology

Literally 'attached tempered blade'. Originally referred to a sword made by welding a hardened steel edge onto a softer body, creating a blade that appeared sharp but was structurally weak. The figurative sense of 'makeshift' or 'superficial' developed from this image.