noun
A sliding bar or bolt used to fasten a door or gate from the inside; a traditional Japanese door lock.
夜は玄関のかんぬきをかける。
At night, I slide the bolt on the front door.
古い蔵の扉には大きなかんぬきが付いてい
The old storehouse door had a large bar latch.
noun
double-arm lock
Sumo term: a hold in which the wrestler locks both of the opponent's arms.
彼はかんぬきで相手を土俵に押し出した。
He forced his opponent out of the ring with a double-arm lock.
noun
cinching; tightening a rope
Rare, specialized use: the act of cinching or tightening a rope, often in traditional contexts.
荷物を縛る最後のかんぬきが甘いと、運ぶ途中でほどける。
If the final cinching of the rope is loose, the load will come undone during transport.
Rare kanji form; not commonly used in modern writing.
Rare kanji form; not commonly used in modern writing.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The word is native Japanese, and the kanji 閂 is a kokuji (Japanese-created character) combining 門 (gate) and 一 (one/bar), representing a bar across a gate.