1.
sloping shoulders; drooping shoulders
Shoulders that slope downward rather than extending horizontally, giving a gentle, rounded silhouette. Named from the shape produced by stroking (撫でる) downward. In traditional Japanese aesthetics, sloping shoulders were considered graceful and feminine.
彼女は撫で肩だ。
She has sloping shoulders.
撫で肩だとリュックがずり落ちやすい。
With sloping shoulders, backpack straps tend to slip off.
着物は撫で肩の人のほうが似合うと言われている。
It's said that kimono look better on people with sloping shoulders.
Compound of 撫で (stem of 撫でる, 'to stroke; to pet') and 肩 ('shoulder'). The image is of a shoulder line that curves gently downward as if stroked. In traditional Japanese culture, 撫で肩 was considered the ideal shoulder shape for women, as it suited kimono silhouettes beautifully.
USAGE:
- Used as a body-type descriptor, not as a compliment or insult
- Practical concern: people with 撫で肩 often have difficulty keeping bag straps in place
- Relevant in kimono fitting — 撫で肩 creates the smooth, flowing lines that kimono are designed for
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 撫で肩の人: a person with sloping shoulders
- 撫で肩で困る: to have trouble because of sloping shoulders
- 撫で肩に似合う服: clothes that suit sloping shoulders
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 怒り肩: square shoulders; angular shoulders — the opposite; shoulders that jut out horizontally, giving a broad, angular silhouette
- 肩幅: shoulder width — measures the horizontal span of the shoulders rather than the angle