Meaning and Usage
The word 皮 (かわ) primarily refers to the outer covering of living things or objects, such as skin, hide, or peel. It is commonly used to talk about the skin of animals, the peel of fruits, and leather made from animal skins.
Common Collocations
- 皮ごと (かわごと): "with the skin/peel"; used when eating fruits or vegetables without removing the skin.
- 皮をむく (かわをむく): "to peel"; used when removing the skin from fruits or vegetables.
- 皮をなめす (かわをなめす): "to tan leather"; refers to the process of treating animal skins to make leather.
Usage Notes
When using 皮 to refer to fruit or vegetable peel, it often appears with verbs like むく (to peel) or ごと (whole, including). When referring to animal skin or leather, it can imply texture or material quality. Be careful not to confuse 皮 with 肌 (はだ), which specifically means human skin, especially in a biological or cosmetic context.
Register and Politeness
皮 is a neutral noun and can be used in both casual and formal contexts depending on the sentence. It is a common word in everyday conversation and writing.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 皮 (かわ) with other words for skin or peel. Remember that 皮 is for outer coverings like animal skin or fruit peel, while 肌 (はだ) is used for human skin, especially when discussing health or appearance.