Kuchibi wo Kiru (口火を切る - Breaking the Ice)

Kuchibi wo Kiru

Initiating a conversation or creating an opportunity to start something is expressed as 'kuchibi wo kiru' (口火を切る) in Japanese.

'Kuchi' (口) means "mouth/edge," 'hi' (火) means "fire," and 'kuchibi' (口火) means "the fire used to shoot bullets with a matchlock."

'Kitu' (切る) usually means "to cut," but here it means "to ignite."

In other words, the literal meaning of 'kuchibi wo kiru' is "to ignite the match of a matchlock." Since this action could a signal or trigger for battle, the phrase 'kuchibi wo kiru' came to have the above meaning..

口火を切る

物事や話を最初に始めることや、きっかけを作ることを、日本語で「口火を切る」といいます。

「口」は "mouth/edge"、「火」は "fire" を意味し、「口火」は「火縄銃で弾を打つときに使う火」のことを表します。

「切る」は "to cut" を意味することが多いですが、ここでは「発火させる」という意味になります。

すなわち、「口火を切る」の文字どおりの意味は「火縄銃の火縄に点火する」であり、それが「戦いの合図やきっかけ」となることから、現在の意味を持つようになったというわけです。

• In other words, the literal meaning of 'kuchibi wo kiru' is "to ignite the match of a matchlock." Since this action could a signal or trigger for battle, the phrase 'kuchibi wo kiru' came to have the above meaning..
• In other words, the literal meaning of 'kuchibi wo kiru' is "to ignite the match of a matchlock." Since this action could be a signal or a trigger for battle, the phrase 'kuchibi wo kiru' came to have the above meaning..