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道Nihongo Path

皮

かわ

skin, peel

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. りんごの皮をむく。

    りんごのかわをむく。

    I peel the apple.

  2. じゃがいもは皮ごと茹でるといい。

    じゃがいもはかわごとゆでるといい。

    It's good to boil potatoes with the skin on.

  3. この店の餃子は皮が厚い。

    このみせのぎょうざはかわがあつい。

    The gyoza at this place have thick wrappers.

Common patterns

皮をむく
to peel
皮ごと
skin and all
餃子の皮
gyoza wrappers

Memory tip

Homophones to watch: 革 is leather and 川 is a river. 皮 is the natural skin of fruit, vegetables or an animal — and, by extension, the wrapper on gyoza and dumplings.

Kanji in this word

Quick check

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What does 皮 mean?