触しょく手しゅ

しょ

く

しゅ

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

tentacle; feeler; antenna

zoology

Zoological term for the flexible appendages of animals such as octopuses, insects, or snails.

タコは触しょく手しゅで獲え物ものを捕つかまえる。
An octopus catches its prey with its tentacles.
カタツムリの触しょく手しゅは目めがある。
A snail's tentacles have eyes on them.

noun

touching with one's hand; feeling; sensing

Figurative or literary use for reaching out to touch or sense something, often implying a cautious or exploratory touch. Less common than the zoological sense.

彼かれは暗くら闇やみの中なかで触しょく手しゅを伸のばして壁かべを探さぐった。
He extended his hand in the darkness and felt for the wall.

See all 25 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

触しょく手しゅで〈物もの〉を捕とらえるto catch/grab something with one's tentacles
イソギンチャクは触しょく手しゅで小こ魚ざかなを捕とらえる。
The sea anemone catches small fish with its tentacles.
触しょく手しゅが〈物もの〉に絡からみつくfor tentacles to wrap/coil around something
タコの触しょく手しゅが瓶びんの中なかの餌えさに絡からみついた。
The octopus's tentacles coiled around the food inside the jar.

Expressions

触しょく手しゅを伸のばすreach out; extend one's reach; set one's sights on

Kanji

触contact, touch, feel
手hand

Don't confuse with

触しょっ角かく sense 1
触手 refers to the flexible, soft tentacles of animals like octopuses or sea anemones, while 触角 refers to the sensory antennae of insects and crustaceans.

Counted with

本ほんN5
book; volume; script · this; present; current; in question · main; head; principal · real; genuine; regular; proper · counter for long cylindrical objects; counter for films, TV shows, etc.; counter for goals, home runs, etc.; counter for telephone calls

Word family

触しょく手しゅ冠かん
lophophore
触しょく手しゅ動どう物ぶつ
tentaculate

Etymology

Compound of 触 (shoku, 'touch') and 手 (shu, 'hand'), literally 'touching hand'. The zoological sense is a semantic extension from the idea of a hand-like organ used for touching.