Inase (いなせ)

Inase

We sometimes use the word 'inase' (いなせ) to describe a gallant and fresh young man.

This word comes from a hairstyle called 'inase icho' (鯔背銀杏), which was popular among young people in fish markets in the late Edo period.

'Ina' (鯔) means "flathead grey mullet," 'se' (背) means "back," so 'inase' means "flathead grey mullet's back."

In addition, 'icho' (銀杏) is short for 'icho-mage' (銀杏髷), which was the most common male hairstyle in the Edo period.

That is to say, 'inase icho' is a hairstyle looks like flathead grey mullet's back, and young men with such a hairstyle were masculine, so 'inase' came to have its current meaning.

いなせ

勇み肌でさっぱりしている若者のことを、「いなせ」と言うことがあります。

この言葉は、江戸時代後期に魚河岸の若者の間で流行した「鯔背銀杏」という髪型に由来します。

「鯔」は魚のボラのこと、「背」は "back" を意味するので、「鯔背」は "flathead grey mullet's back" を意味します。

また、「銀杏」は江戸時代に最も一般的だった男性の髪型「銀杏髷」を略したものです。

すなわち、「鯔背銀杏」とはボラの背に似た髪型のことで、その髪型をしていた若者は男気があったことから、現在の意味になったというわけです。

• Inase
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• We sometimes use the word 'inase' (いなせ) to describe a gallant and fresh young man.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• This word comes from a hairstyle called 'inase icho' (鯔背銀杏), which was popular among young people in fish markets in the late Edo period.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• 'Ina' (鯔) means "flathead grey mullet," 'se' (背) means "back," so 'inase' means "flathead grey mullet's back."
• 'Ina' (鯔) means "flathead grey mullet fish," 'se' (背) means "back," so 'inase' means "flathead grey mullet's back."

  I added "fish" the first time that "Ina" was explained, just to point out that "mullet" refers to a certain kind of fish, and not another kind of hairstyle.
  
  This hairstyle is also called a mullet in English: http://eastcoastmetalchurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/mullett2.jpg
  
  (Most people could guess that you didn't mean that hairstyle, but I think it's what comes to mind for a lot of people when they see the word "mullet", so I added it anyway.)

• In addition, 'icho' (銀杏) is short for 'icho-mage' (銀杏髷), which was the most common male hairstyle in the Edo period.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• That is to say, 'inase icho' is a hairstyle looks like flathead grey mullet's back, and young men with such a hairstyle were masculine, so 'inase' came to have its current meaning.
• That is to say, 'inase icho' is a hairstyle that looks like the flathead grey mullet's back, and young men with such a hairstyle were masculine, so 'inase' came to have its current meaning.