寝巻き

Japanese

Kanji in this term
寝	巻
ね Grade: S	ま Grade: 6
kun’yomi

Alternative spellings
寢卷き (kyūjitai) 寝間着寝巻寝衣 (rare)

Etymology

First attested in a text from 1548.[1]

The term is a compound, although the exact derivation is slightly unclear.

May be a compound of 寝間 (nema, “bedroom”, literally “sleeping + space”) +‎ 着 (ki, “wear, wearing”, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 着る (kiru, “to wear”), referring more specifically to the upper body).

However, the term 寝間 (nema) is not attested until 1686, and the 寝間着 spelling may be later ateji rather than indicative of derivation.

May be a compound of 寝 (ne, “sleep, sleeping”) +‎ 巻き (maki, “roll, rolling; winding”).[2]

However, the semantics are slightly strange, as sleeping garments are not rolled. The latter portion may instead be in reference to the way that robes are wound or wrapped around the body.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) ねまき [nèmákí] (Heiban – [0])[2][3][4]
IPA^(key): [ne̞ma̠kʲi]

Noun

寝(ね)巻(ま)き • (nemaki)

[from 1548] nightwear, nightgown, pajamas
Synonyms: 寝衣 (shin'i), パジャマ (pajama), ナイトガウン (naitogaun)

Coordinate terms

浴衣(ゆかた) (yukata): a thin, light kimono, worn for sleeping or for summer.

References

1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

[KJD-1] 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan

[SMK5-2] 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DJR-3] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[NHK-4] 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN