糸いと引ひき

noun

stringiness; stretching out like a string

Describes a viscous liquid or sticky substance forming a string when pulled, e.g., melted cheese, natto, or glue.

• 納なっ豆とうはよく糸いと引ひきが強つよいと言いわれる。

  Natto is often said to have strong stringiness.

• このチーズは熱ねつを加くわえると糸いと引ひきがよくなる。

  This cheese becomes nicely stringy when heated.

noun

silk reeling; silk spinning; filature

The process of unwinding silk filament from cocoons; also refers to the occupation or machine. Cross-referenced with 糸取り.

See also: 糸取り

• 祖そ母ぼは若わかい頃ころ、工こう場じょうで糸いと引ひきの仕し事ごとをしていた。

  My grandmother worked at a silk reeling factory when she was young.

noun

pulling strings; manipulating behind the scenes

Figurative use: secretly controlling someone or something, like a puppeteer. Often used in the phrase 糸引きをする.

• 彼かれが裏うらで糸いと引ひきをしているに違ちがいない。

  He must be pulling strings behind the scenes.

noun

appearance of strings from Buddha's fingertips (folk belief)

A folk belief that when one prays earnestly, strings appear from the Buddha's fingertips. Rare, historical/religious context.

• 昔むかし話ばなしに、信しん心じん深ぶかい人ひとが仏ほとけ様さまの指ゆび先さきから糸いと引ひきを見みたという話はなしがある。

  There is an old tale of a devout person seeing strings appear from the Buddha's fingertips.

noun

menstruation (euphemistic)

Euphemistic term for menstruation, based on the stringy nature of discharge. Not common in modern everyday speech.

• 古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、糸いと引ひきが月げっ経けいを婉えん曲きょくに表あらわすことがある。

  In old texts, 糸引き sometimes euphemistically refers to menstruation.