暖簾(のれん)

のれん
noun
shop curtain, goodwill
1. shop curtain, noren
A fabric divider hung at shop entrances, often bearing the shop name or logo.
暖簾(のれん)をくぐる。
To pass through the shop curtain.
お店(みせ)の暖簾(のれん)が風(かぜ)に揺(ゆ)れている。
The shop curtain is swaying in the wind.
店先(みせさき)に新(あたら)しい暖簾(のれん)を掛(か)けた。
A new curtain was hung at the shop front.
暖簾(のれん)を下(お)ろして、店(みせ)を開(ひら)く準備(じゅんび)をする。
To put up the noren and prepare to open the shop.
Putting up the noren signals the shop is open
この通(とお)りには色(いろ)とりどりの暖簾(のれん)が並(なら)んでいて、昔(むかし)ながらの商店街(しょうてんがい)の雰囲気(ふんいき)がある。
Colorful noren are lined up along this street, giving it the atmosphere of a traditional shopping district.
2. goodwill, reputation
A business's established reputation and brand value.
暖簾(のれん)を守(まも)る。
To protect the shop's reputation.
暖簾(のれん)に傷(きず)がついた。
The reputation was damaged.
暖簾(のれん)分(わ)けで独立(どくりつ)する。
To become independent through noren-wake.
Traditional way of letting employees start their own branch under the same name
百年(ひゃくねん)以上(いじょう)の暖簾(のれん)を守(まも)り続(つづ)けている老舗(しにせ)だ。
It's a long-established shop that has maintained its reputation for over a hundred years.
創業者(そうぎょうしゃ)が築(きず)いた暖簾(のれん)を次(つぎ)の世代(せだい)に引(ひ)き継(つ)ぐのは簡単(かんたん)ではない。
It's not easy to pass on the reputation built by the founder to the next generation.

暖簾(のれん) is a traditional split fabric curtain hung at shop entrances in Japan.

SENSE 1 - PHYSICAL CURTAIN:

SENSE 2 - REPUTATION/GOODWILL:

IDIOM:
暖簾(のれん)に腕(うで)押(お)し: wasted effort (lit. pushing against a curtain = no resistance, pointless)

CULTURAL NOTE:
Noren display the shop name/logo and signal the business is open. They're iconic in traditional shopping districts.

core
Added 2026.1.16 17:49 · Revised 2026.6.9 0:22
05500/05803_noren