鼻緒(はなお)

はなお
noun
thong strap (of sandals or clogs)
clothing
1. thong strap; sandal strap
The V-shaped fabric or leather strap on traditional Japanese footwear such as geta (wooden clogs) and zori (flat sandals) that passes between the big toe and second toe to hold the foot in place.
鼻緒(はなお)が切(き)れた。
The thong strap broke.
赤(あか)い鼻緒(はなお)の下駄(げた)を買(か)った。
I bought a pair of geta with red thong straps.
鼻緒(はなお)が足(あし)に当(あ)たって痛(いた)いので、新(あたら)しいのに替(か)えたい。
The thong strap rubs against my foot and hurts, so I want to replace it with a new one.

Usage

鼻緒(はなお) refers specifically to the strap found on traditional Japanese sandals (草履(ぞうり), 下駄(げた)). The strap passes between the toes and is often made of fabric.

Common collocations

  • 鼻緒(はなお)が切(き)れる (the strap breaks)
  • 鼻緒(はなお)をすげる (to attach/replace a thong strap)
  • 鼻緒(はなお)がゆるい (the strap is loose)

Cultural note

A broken 鼻緒(はなお) was traditionally considered a bad omen in Japanese culture, particularly when leaving home.

general
Added 2026.3.6 21:29 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
15000/15379_hanao