きつね
also: けつね · きつ
Meanings
fox; red fox
The animal, especially the red fox. In ordinary writing きつね is common; キツネ is also natural for the animal name.
I saw a fox in the woods behind the house.
sly person; cunning person
Figurative and usually negative, based on the fox as a clever trickster. It can sound somewhat pointed or old-fashioned depending on context.
That man is a real fox, and you cannot trust him easily.
kitsune soba or udon; noodles topped with fried tofu
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
I ordered kitsune noodles at the station soba shop.
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
Turn off the heat when the breadcrumbs turn golden brown.
Usage patterns
- 〈場所〉に狐が出るa fox appears/comes out in a place
Foxes come out on this mountain at night.
- 〈人〉は狐のようだsomeone is as sly/cunning as a fox
That politician is said to be as sly as a fox.
- きつねを注文するto order kitsune (soba/udon topped with fried tofu)
For lunch I ordered a kitsune udon.
- きつね色に焼くto fry/toast something until golden brown
I toasted the bread until it was golden brown.
Expressions· 13
- 狐の嫁入りsun shower; rain while the sun shines · procession of will-o'-the-wisps; jack-o'-lantern parade
- 九尾の狐nine-tailed fox
- 同じ穴の狐birds of a feather; villains of the same stripe
- 狐が落ちるto be released from fox possession; to cease being possessed by a fox spirit
- 狐に小豆飯setting a fox to guard the henhouse; trusting a cat with milk