かんざし（かんざし、kanzashi）
- hairpin

かんざし is a traditional Japanese hair ornament. It's typically a decorative pin, hairpin, or stick used to hold the hair in place and to adorn the hairstyle. かんざし come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and designs, often reflecting the wearer's social status, age, and occasion. They can be made of materials like wood, metal (gold, silver, bronze), lacquer, tortoiseshell, or even more modern materials like plastic or glass. Many are elaborately decorated with jewels, carvings, or paintings.

⚫︎ 彼女は美しいかんざしを髪に挿していました。 Translation: She was wearing a beautiful hairpin in her hair. ⚫︎ お祭りで、浴衣に合うかんざしを買いました。 Translation: I bought a hairpin that matched my yukata at the festival. ⚫︎ 昔の日本の女性は、様々な種類のかんざしを使って髪型を整えていました。 Translation: Women in old Japan used various types of hairpins to style their hair.

The word かんざし is used to refer to the ornamental hairpin itself. It's often used when talking about traditional Japanese clothing, hairstyles, or cultural events. It's a common word, understood by most Japanese speakers. You would use it when describing or referring to this specific type of hair accessory.

かんざし is primarily written in hiragana. However, when combined with a kanji it might use 簪. There are no variations in okurigana.

There aren't direct synonyms for かんざし, as it is a specific type of hair ornament. However, related terms include: ⚫︎ 髪飾り (かみかざり): Hair accessory (broader term) ⚫︎ ヘアピン: Hairpin (modern, general term) ⚫︎ 櫛 (くし): Comb (often used in conjunction with かんざし)

There are no direct antonyms for かんざし.

着物を着て、伝統的なかんざしで髪をまとめました。 ・Translation: I wore a kimono and styled my hair with a traditional hairpin. ・Explanation: This sentence describes wearing traditional Japanese clothing and using a かんざし to complete the hairstyle.

そのかんざしはとても高価で、宝石が散りばめられていました。 ・Translation: That hairpin was very expensive and was studded with jewels. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a particularly ornate and valuable かんざし.

The word かんざし is believed to be derived from the words 髪 (かみ) meaning "hair" and 挿す (さす) meaning "to insert" or "to stick in". Therefore, it refers to the function of inserting something (the ornament) into the hair. The "sa" sound of 挿す became "za", resulting in the pronunciation of かんざし.