ピンチ (B1)
English: Pinch
カタカナ: ピンチ
IPA: /pɪntʃ/
Definition
In English, 'pinch' as a verb means to squeeze tightly between the finger and thumb: 'She pinched his cheek.' As a noun, 'a pinch' means a very small amount of something: 'Add a pinch of salt.' The phrase 'in a pinch' means in a difficult or urgent situation where you need to improvise: 'This pen will do in a pinch.' In Japanese, ピンチ has become the main everyday word for a crisis, a tight spot, or a difficult situation. It is used constantly in sports commentary ('チームはピンチだ!' means 'The team is in trouble!'), in manga, and in everyday conversation. While English does use 'in a pinch' informally, 'a pinch' on its own as a standalone noun meaning 'a crisis' is not standard in English. When a Japanese speaker says 'ピンチだ!', the natural English equivalents are 'This is a crisis!', 'We're in trouble!', 'We're in a tight spot!', or 'We're in a jam!'
意味: 英語の 'pinch' は動詞として「指でつねる・つまむ」、名詞として「ひとつまみ（の量）」を意味します。'in a pinch' というフレーズは「いざとなれば・緊急時には」という意味で使われます。日本語の「ピンチ」はスポーツ実況、マンガ、日常会話で「危機・苦境・窮地」を表す言葉として定着しています。英語では 'in a pinch' という表現は使いますが、'a pinch' を単独で「危機」の意味で使うのは一般的ではありません。「ピンチだ！」を英語で表すなら 'We're in trouble!', 'This is a crisis!', 'We're in a tight spot!' などが自然です。
Examples / 例文
チームは今、大ピンチだ。 — The team is in a real crisis right now.
ピンチはチャンスだ！ — Every crisis is an opportunity!
彼女は赤ちゃんのほっぺをつねった。 — She pinched the baby's cheek.
ピンチ in English
English translations of ピンチ (pinch):
See "Pinch" in the English dictionary
Browse the full Japanese-English dictionary