Kubi no Kawa Ichimai de Tsunagaru (首の皮一枚で繋がる - Hanging by a Thread)

Kubi no Kawa Ichimai de Tsunagaru

Today I would like to introduce a phrase that describes my current situation.

It is 'kubi no kawa ichimai de tsunagaru' (首の皮一枚で繋がる).

Since 'kubi' (首) means "neck," 'kawa' (皮) means "skin," "ichimai" (一枚) means "one layer," and 'tsunagaru' (繋がる) means "to connect," the literal meaning of this phrase is "one's neck is connected only with one layer of the skin."

You may think that such a situation where one's head and body are connected only with the skin is already hopeless.

However, actually, this phrase is used to mean that something is not over yet or someone hangs by a thread.

首の皮一枚で繋がる

今日は、まさに私の今の状況を表すフレーズを紹介します。

それは「首の皮一枚で繋がる」です。

「首」は "neck"、「皮」は "skin"、「一枚」は "one layer"、「繋がる」は "to connect" を意味するので、このフレーズの文字どおりの意味は "one's neck is connected only with one layer of the skin" となります。

首が皮一枚で繋がっているような状況は、もう手遅れかもしれません。

しかし実際には、「わずかな望みが残っていること」や「ぎりぎりのところで持ちこたえること」を表します。

• Since 'kubi' (首) means "neck," 'kawa' (皮) means "skin," "ichimai" (一枚) means "one layer," and 'tsunagaru' (繋がる) means "to connect," the literal meaning of this phrase is "one's neck is connected only with one layer of the skin."
• Since 'kubi' (首) means "neck," 'kawa' (皮) means "skin," "ichimai" (一枚) means "one layer," and "tsunagaru" (繋がる) means "to connect," the literal meaning of this phrase is "one's neck is connected only with one layer of the skin."

Huh, I hadn't heard that one before! 勉強になりました。Thank you!

Nothing really needs corrected here.

All I can offer are other phrases that you may know that are similar to this one

"There's still ―" { hope / a glimmer of hope }
"All ― not lost " { is / hope is }
"He's holding on by the ―" { skin of his teeth }"

I'm glad you still have hope to get out of your situation. Don't give up!
(^^)b