Japanese word

指切り

Pronunciation

Romajiyubikiri

Meaning

  • nounpinky promise

Example

妹と指切りをしました。imōto to yubi ki ri o shi ma shi ta

I made a pinky promise with my little sister.

Illustration for 指切り (pinky promise)

More examples

明日も一緒に遊ぶと指切りをしました。asu mo is sho ni aso bu to yubi ki ri o shi ma shi ta

We made a pinky promise to play together again tomorrow.

Core concept

It turns mutual agreement into a shared gesture in which two people join their little fingers.

Common phrases

  • 指切りをするyubi ki ri o su ru

    make a pinky promise

Similar words

指切りげんまんyubikirigenman: A set expression said while making a pinky promise.
約束yakusoku: An agreement to do something or keep a stated commitment.

Definition in Japanese

小指を絡ませる動作によって、互いに約束を交わすこと。ko yubi o kara ma se ru dō sa ni yo tte taga i ni yaku soku o ka wa su ko to

Word origin

The word 指切り (yubikiri, "finger cutting") joins 指 (yubi, "finger") with 切り (kiri, "cutting"); its meaning is based on a promise made with the fingers.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese children's speech, 指切りげんまん (yubikiri genman) is a set expression used with the pinky-promise gesture, making the word easy to recognize in stories.

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