【No. 1936】Gin-nagashi (銀流し - Specious)
Aug 14, 2021 21:04
Gin-nagashi
To describe something specious or phony, you can use the Japanese term gin-nagashi (銀流し).
(Young people these days may not use this.)
Since gin (銀) means "silver" and nagashi (流し) means "stream," the literal meaning of gin-nagashi is "streaming silver."
When you stream mercury (liquid silver) onto a copper or another metallic product, it can be made to look like a silver product.
This process is called gin-nagashi.
However, although such products made by gin-nagashi look excellent, these surfaces are easy to peal off and of poor quality.
For this reason, gin-nagashi came to have the meaning of "specious" and "phony."
To describe something specious or phony, you can use the Japanese term gin-nagashi (銀流し).
(Young people these days may not use this.)
Since gin (銀) means "silver" and nagashi (流し) means "stream," the literal meaning of gin-nagashi is "streaming silver."
When you stream mercury (liquid silver) onto a copper or another metallic product, it can be made to look like a silver product.
This process is called gin-nagashi.
However, although such products made by gin-nagashi look excellent, these surfaces are easy to peal off and of poor quality.
For this reason, gin-nagashi came to have the meaning of "specious" and "phony."
銀流し
見かけだおしのものや、まがいもののことを、「銀流し」と言うことがあります。
（最近の若者は言わないかもしれません。）
「銀」は "silver"、「流し」は "stream" を意味するので、「銀流し」の文字どおりの意味は、"streaming silver" となります。
水銀を、銅などの金属に流してすりつけると、銀色に仕上げることができます。
これを、「銀流し」と言います。
しかし、銀流しによって作られたものは、見かけはよいものの、剥がれやすく、質も悪いです。
このため、「銀流し」は「見かけだおし」や「まがいもの」の意味も持つようになったというわけです。
見かけだおしのものや、まがいもののことを、「銀流し」と言うことがあります。
（最近の若者は言わないかもしれません。）
「銀」は "silver"、「流し」は "stream" を意味するので、「銀流し」の文字どおりの意味は、"streaming silver" となります。
水銀を、銅などの金属に流してすりつけると、銀色に仕上げることができます。
これを、「銀流し」と言います。
しかし、銀流しによって作られたものは、見かけはよいものの、剥がれやすく、質も悪いです。
このため、「銀流し」は「見かけだおし」や「まがいもの」の意味も持つようになったというわけです。
Corrections (1)
No. 1 squidlydeux
- Gin-nagashi (銀流し - Specious)
- Gin-nagashi (銀流し - Suspicious)
- To describe something specious or phony, you can use the Japanese term 'gin-nagashi' (銀流し).
- To describe something suspicious or phony, you can use the Japanese term 'gin-nagashi' (銀流し).
- (Young people these days may not use this.)
- (Young people these days might not use this.)
- When you stream mercury (liquid silver) onto a copper or another metallic product, it can be made to look like a silver product.
- When you stream mercury (liquid silver) onto a copper or other metallic product, it can be made to look like a silver product.
- However, although such products made by 'gin-nagashi' look excellent, these surfaces are easy to peal off and of poor quality.
- However, although such products made by 'gin-nagashi' look excellent, these surfaces are easy to peal off and are of poor quality.
- For this reason, 'gin-nagashi' came to have the meaning of "specious" and "phony."
- For this reason, 'gin-nagashi' came to have the meaning of "suspicious" and "phony."
Toru
Thank you for the correction!
According to the dictionary, I figured "specious" would be a good way to describe the Japanese term 'gin-nagashi', but is this word not common?
https://wikidiff.com/specious/suspicious
Thank you for the correction!
According to the dictionary, I figured "specious" would be a good way to describe the Japanese term 'gin-nagashi', but is this word not common?
https://wikidiff.com/specious/suspicious
squidlydeux
My apologies! I thought that "specious" was a misspelling of "suspicious". I'm not familiar with that word at all, but more commonly used words would be something like "misleading" or "deceptive". Sorry for the oversight!
My apologies! I thought that "specious" was a misspelling of "suspicious". I'm not familiar with that word at all, but more commonly used words would be something like "misleading" or "deceptive". Sorry for the oversight!
Toru
Thank you for letting me know that! I understand!
Thank you for letting me know that! I understand!