クロス

くろす
noun
cloth; cross
1. cloth; tablecloth; cleaning cloth; wall covering
A piece of fabric or fabric-like material used to cover, wipe, or finish a surface. From English 'cloth'. Common compounds include テーブルクロス (tablecloth) and 壁紙(かべがみ)クロス (wallpaper-style wall covering).
テーブルにクロスを()いた。
I spread a cloth on the table.
メガネ(よう)のクロスでレンズを()いた。
I wiped the lenses with a glasses cleaning cloth.
(かべ)のクロスを()()えるだけで部屋(へや)印象(いんしょう)(おお)きく()わる。
Just by replacing the wall covering, the impression of the room changes dramatically.
2. cross; crossing; X-shape
From English 'cross'. Refers to an X-shape, the act of crossing things over, a Christian cross, or in sports a cross-pass (especially in soccer).
(うで)をクロスさせる。
To cross one's arms.
(かれ)(みぎ)サイドからクロスを()げた。
He sent up a cross from the right side.
選手(せんしゅ)たちのパスが(あざ)やかにクロスして、ゴール(まえ)でチャンスが()まれた。
The players' passes crossed beautifully and a chance was created in front of the goal.

Two unrelated loanwords have merged into the same katakana form: "cloth" (sense 1) and "cross" (sense 2). Context almost always disambiguates them.

SENSE 1 (cloth) COLLOCATIONS:

  • テーブルクロス: tablecloth
  • メガネクロス: glasses cleaning cloth
  • (かべ)クロス / 壁紙(かべがみ)クロス: wall covering, wallpaper
  • クロスを()く: to lay out a cloth

SENSE 2 (cross) COLLOCATIONS:

  • クロスする: to cross over; to intersect
  • クロスを()げる: to send in a cross (soccer)
  • クロスカウンター: cross counter (boxing)
  • クロスワード: crossword

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • (ぬの): cloth, fabric — native term; broader; lacks the 'tablecloth/wall covering' nuance
  • 十字(じゅうじ): cross-shape — native counterpart to sense 2; preferred for the religious/geometric cross