1.
tiptoe; tips of the toes; toe area
The front part of the foot, especially the tips of the toes. Also refers to the toe section of shoes or socks, and the act of standing or walking on tiptoe.
爪先で立った。
I stood on tiptoe.
靴の爪先がすり減っている。
The toes of my shoes are worn down.
赤ちゃんを起こさないように爪先で歩いて部屋を出た。
I tiptoed out of the room so as not to wake the baby.
USAGE:
爪先 is used both for the physical tip of the toes and for the act of tiptoeing. The phrase 爪先で立つ means "to stand on tiptoe" and 爪先で歩く means "to walk on tiptoe."
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 爪先で立つ (to stand on tiptoe)
- 爪先で歩く (to tiptoe / walk on tiptoe)
- 爪先が冷たい (the tips of one's toes are cold)
- 靴の爪先 (the toe of a shoe)
WORD FORMATION:
爪 (nail, claw) + 先 (tip, point). Refers to the very end of the toes where the nails are.