1.
thin skin; thin peel; thin membrane
A thin outer layer — the skin of a fruit, the membrane around a peanut or section of citrus, or a thin pastry skin around a bun or dumpling.
ミカンの薄皮をむく。
To peel off the thin skin of a mandarin section.
薄皮饅頭はあんこがたっぷり入っている。
A thin-skin manju is packed full of sweet bean paste.
彼の病気は薄皮をはぐように少しずつよくなっている。
His illness is gradually improving, like peeling away thin layers of skin.
Compound of 薄い (thin) + 皮 (skin). Refers to any thin outer layer, not specifically human skin.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 薄皮をむく: to peel off the thin skin
- 薄皮饅頭: thin-skin manju (with lots of filling)
- 薄皮一枚: a single thin layer
IDIOM:
薄皮をはぐように — "as if peeling away thin skin" — describes very slow, gradual improvement (especially of an illness).
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 厚皮: thick skin/peel
- 外皮: outer skin/rind — more technical
- 皮: skin; peel — general term