屈くっ指し

く

っ

し

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

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

Used as a pre-noun modifier (屈指の + noun) to describe something or someone that ranks among the top in a field or category. Often found in formal or written contexts.

彼かれは日本にほん屈くっ指しのピアニストだ。
He is one of Japan's foremost pianists.
この地ち域いきは国こく内ない屈くっ指しの米こめどころとして知しられている。
This region is known as one of the country's leading rice-producing areas.

See all 5 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉屈くっ指しの〈物もの〉one of the leading ~ in 〈place〉
この温おん泉せんは日本にほん屈くっ指しの名めい湯とうとして知しられている。
This hot spring is known as one of Japan's leading hot springs.
屈くっ指しの〈人ひと〉one of the top/leading 〈people〉
彼かれは業ぎょう界かい屈くっ指しの技ぎ術じゅつ者しゃだ。
He is one of the top engineers in the industry.

Kanji

屈yield, bend, flinch
指finger, point to, indicate

Related words

有ゆう数すうN1
有数 and 屈指 both mean 'one of the top' as a pre-noun modifier, but 屈指 stresses an even smaller, elite group (literally 'countable on one's fingers') while 有数 simply means 'numerous/notable'.
一いち流りゅうN3
一流 describes something as 'first-rate' or top-tier in quality, while 屈指 specifically ranks it among a small, countable group of the best in a category.
抜ばつ群ぐんN1
抜群 emphasizes standing out remarkably from the rest (often used predicatively, 抜群だ), whereas 屈指 is used attributively (屈指の) to mark membership in an elite few.
卓たく越えつ
卓越 conveys outstanding excellence or superiority in ability, while 屈指 focuses on ranking among a limited, countable top group in a field.
随ずい一いち
屈指 means 'one of the top few' without claiming the single top spot, while 随一 specifically means the single best.

Etymology

From the literal meaning 'bend one's fingers' (屈 = bend, 指 = finger), referring to counting something on one's fingers, hence 'so few that one can count them on one's fingers' → 'among the best, leading'.