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きつね (kitsune) Japanese meaning: fox | Kotomora

きつね

also: けつね · きつ

き

つ

ね

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

fox; red fox

usually written using kana alone

The animal, especially the red fox. In ordinary writing きつね is common; キツネ is also natural for the animal name.

裏うら山やまできつねを見みた。

I saw a fox in the woods behind the house.

2

sly person; cunning person

usually written using kana alone

Figurative and usually negative, based on the fox as a clever trickster. It can sound somewhat pointed or old-fashioned depending on context.

あの男おとこはとんだ狐きつねで、簡かん単たんには信しん用ようできない。
That man is a real fox, and you cannot trust him easily.

3

kitsune soba or udon; noodles topped with fried tofu

usually written using kana alone

Menu and food use: きつね refers to soba or udon topped with seasoned deep-fried tofu, as in きつねうどん.

See also: きつねうどん

駅えきのそば屋やできつねを注ちゅう文もんした。
I ordered kitsune noodles at the station soba shop.

4

golden brown; light brown

abbreviationusually written using kana alone

Abbreviated color use, mainly seen in the fixed expression きつね色, the golden-brown color of fried or toasted food.

See also: きつね色

パン粉こがきつね色いろになったら火ひを止とめる。
Turn off the heat when the breadcrumbs turn golden brown.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に狐きつねが出でるa fox appears/comes out in a place
夜よるになるとこの山やまに狐きつねが出でる。
Foxes come out on this mountain at night.
〈人ひと〉は狐きつねのようだsomeone is as sly/cunning as a fox
あの政せい治じ家かは狐きつねのような男おとこだと言いわれている。
That politician is said to be as sly as a fox.
きつねを注ちゅう文もんするto order kitsune (soba/udon topped with fried tofu)
お昼ひるはきつねを一ひとつ注ちゅう文もんした。
For lunch I ordered a kitsune udon.
きつね色いろに焼やくto fry/toast something until golden brown
パンをきつね色いろに焼やいた。
I toasted the bread until it was golden brown.

Expressions· 13

狐きつねの嫁よめ入いりsun shower; rain while the sun shines · procession of will-o'-the-wisps; jack-o'-lantern parade
九きゅう尾びの狐きつねnine-tailed fox
同おなじ穴あなの狐きつねbirds of a feather; villains of the same stripe
狐きつねが落おちるto be released from fox possession; to cease being possessed by a fox spirit
狐きつねに小豆あずき飯めしsetting a fox to guard the henhouse; trusting a cat with milk

Show 4 more

狐きつねを落おとすexorcise a fox spirit
狐きつねの子こは頬白つらじろlike father, like son; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
狐きつねにつままれるbe baffled; be confused; be bewitched by a fox
狐きつねに化ばかされるbe deceived by a fox; be bewitched by a fox

See all 13 in Explore →

Kanji

狐fox

Related words

食くわせ者もの sense 2
食わせ者 is a general word for a sly, deceptive person, while 狐 specifically evokes fox-like cunning and can sound more figurative or old-fashioned.
稲荷いなり
狐 is the general word for a fox, while 稲荷 in this sense specifically denotes the fox as Inari's divine messenger.
フォックス
狐 is the native Japanese word for the animal fox and appears in folklore and everyday speech, while フォックス is a loanword mainly used for fox fur or in brand and fashion names.
狸たぬき
狸 and 狐 can both describe a sly, cunning person, but 狸 suggests a more comical, earthy trickster while 狐 implies a more elegant or mystical cunning.

Don't confuse with

狸たぬき sense 1
狐 and 狸 are both trickster animals in folklore, but 狐 (fox) tops noodles with fried tofu while 狸 (raccoon dog) tops them with tempura scraps.
狼おおかみ
狼 and 狐 are both wild canines that appear together in Japanese folklore, but 狼 is the wolf while 狐 is the fox, a smaller and often trickster-type animal.

Counted with

匹ひきN3
counter for small animals · counter for rolls of cloth · archaic counter for horses · roll of cloth

Word family· 32

北きた狐きつね
Ezo red fox
白しろ狐ぎつね
white fox; supernatural white fox · Arctic fox
狐きつね火び
foxfire; will-o'-the-wisp
人ひと狐ぎつね
fox spirit that possesses people

Written forms

きつねUsage21%
Practical everyday spelling; the senses are usually written in kana.
狐Usage49%
- きつね
  Standard kanji spelling and attested high-priority form, but kana is often preferred in ordinary use, especially for food and color expressions.

Etymology

きつね is a native Japanese animal name; the exact historical derivation is uncertain. 狐 is the conventional kanji spelling for the fox, while kana spellings are very common in modern use.

古ふる狐ぎつね

old fox; cunning old person; schemer

Show 8 more

女め狐ぎつね
female fox; vixen · seductive woman; femme fatale
狐きつね塚づか
foxhole; fox den; fox mound
狐きつね拳けん
kitsune-ken; fox game
狐きつね焼やき
golden-brown cooking; something cooked golden brown
キツネザル
lemur
狐きつね矢や
stray arrow
狐きつね福ふく
unexpected good fortune
狐きつね窓まど
small high lattice window

See all 32 in Explore →

けつね

Rare or regional pronunciation; not the normal modern reading for learners.

きつ

out-dated reading

Obsolete reading noted; mainly useful for historical or search purposes.

キツネUsage30%

kana-only spelling

Katakana spelling used especially for the animal or species name, as is common with animal names.

けつねUsage<1%

きつ

out-dated reading