(かや)

かや
noun
mosquito net
1. mosquito net
a fine mesh net hung over a sleeping area to keep out mosquitoes and other insects
蚊帳(かや)()る。
To hang a mosquito net.
(なつ)になると祖母(そぼ)(いえ)では蚊帳(かや)使(つか)った。
In summer, we used mosquito nets at my grandmother's house.
最近(さいきん)では蚊帳(かや)()かけることが(すく)なくなったが、海外(かいがい)ではまだ(ひろ)使(つか)われている。
These days mosquito nets are rarely seen, but they are still widely used overseas.

A traditional Japanese household item used during summer to keep mosquitoes away while sleeping. Though less common in modern Japan due to screens and air conditioning, mosquito nets remain culturally significant and appear in literature and idioms.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 蚊帳(かや)()る: to hang a mosquito net
  • 蚊帳(かや)(なか): inside the mosquito net
  • 蚊帳(かや)(そと): outside the mosquito net; left out, excluded

IDIOM:

  • 蚊帳(かや)(そと)()く: to leave someone out of the loop, to exclude from involvement. This is a widely used figurative expression meaning to be shut out of discussions or decisions.

CULTURAL NOTE:
Traditionally made from hemp or cotton mesh, mosquito nets were a staple of Japanese summers before modern insect repellents and window screens became widespread. They evoke a nostalgic image of traditional summer life in Japan.