Refers specifically to the back of the neck, often used when grabbing or holding someone.
He grabbed his younger brother by the nape of the neck and dragged him.
A mother cat carrying her kitten by the scruff of its neck.
Standard kanji spelling.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still used.
Compound of 襟 (eri, 'collar') and 首 (kubi, 'neck'). The reading えりくび is a straightforward combination of the two components.