左利き

Japanese

Kanji in this term
左	利
ひだり Grade: 1	き Grade: 4
kun'yomi

Etymology

/hidarikiki/: [pidarikiki] → [ɸidarikiki] → [çidarikiki]. Compound of 左 (hidari, “left”) +‎ 利き (kiki, “effective”). The kiki changes to giki as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ひだりきき [hìdáríkíkí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [çida̠ɾʲikʲikʲi]

Noun

左(ひだり)利(き)き or 左利(ひだりぎ)き • (hidarikiki or hidarigiki) 

1. the ability to use a left hand better than a right hand; left-handedness
2. a person who can use their left hand better than their right hand; left-handed person
   • 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho, page 229:

     Fidariguiqi. ヒダリギキ (左利き) 左利きの人.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Synonyms

• ぎっちょ (gitcho)
• サウスポー (sausupō)

Related terms

• 右(みぎ)利(き)き (migikiki, “right-handedness”)
• 左(ひだり)投(な)げ (hidarinage, “left-handed pitcher”)
• 左(ひだり)打(う)ち (hidariuchi, “left-handed batter”)

References

• Doi, Tadao (1603–1604) Hōyaku Nippo Jisho (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 1980, →ISBN.