かんぬき

noun

bar; bolt; latch

A sliding bar or bolt used to fasten a door or gate from the inside; a traditional Japanese door lock.

• 夜よるは玄げん関かんのかんぬきをかける。

  At night, I slide the bolt on the front door.

• 古ふるい蔵くらの扉とびらには大おおきなかんぬきが付ついていた。

  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.

• 彼かれはかんぬきで相あい手てを土ど俵ひょうに押おし出だした。

  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.

• 荷に物もつを縛しばる最さい後ごのかんぬきが甘あまいと、運はこぶ途と中ちゅうでほどける。

  If the final cinching of the rope is loose, the load will come undone during transport.