栓(せん)抜(ぬ)き

せんぬき
noun
bottle opener
1. bottle opener
A tool used to remove bottle caps, especially from glass bottles with pry-off caps.
栓(せん)抜(ぬ)きでビール瓶(びん)を開(あ)けた。
I opened the beer bottle with a bottle opener.
栓(せん)抜(ぬ)きがなくて、歯(は)で開(あ)けようとした。
I didn't have a bottle opener, so I tried to open it with my teeth.
Not recommended!
この栓(せん)抜(ぬ)きは缶切(かんき)りも付(つ)いている。
This bottle opener also has a can opener attached.

Literally "stopper puller" — 栓(せん) (stopper/cap) + 抜(ぬ)き (from 抜(ぬ)く, to pull out). Used specifically for prying off metal bottle caps (王冠(おうかん)).

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 栓(せん)抜(ぬ)きで開(あ)ける: to open with a bottle opener
  • 王冠(おうかん)を抜(ぬ)く: to remove a bottle cap

WORD FORMATION PATTERN:

The ～抜(ぬ)き pattern appears in several tool names:

  • コルク抜(ぬ)き: corkscrew (cork + pull out)
  • 髪(かみ)抜(ぬ)き: tweezers for plucking hair

Similarly, ～切(き)り for cutting tools:

  • 缶切(かんき)り: can opener
  • 爪切(つめき)り: nail clippers
  • 紙切(かみき)りばさみ: paper scissors

Related Words

Related: 缶切(かんき)り (can opener)
general
Added 2026.1.18 22:35 · Revised 2026.3.27 12:48
07000/07010_sennuki