滑舌

Japanese
Kanji in this term
滑 舌
かつ
Grade: S		 ぜつ
Grade: 5
on’yomi

Etymology

*/kwatu zetu/ → /kwat͡su zet͡su/ → /kat͡su zet͡su/

Possibly from Middle Chinese compound 滑舌 (hwɛt + zyet, literally “slippery, smooth + tongue”).

Alternatively, may have been coined in Japan of Middle Chinese-derived elements, as a compound of 滑 (katsu, “smooth”) +‎ 舌 (zetsu, “tongue”).

Pronunciation

Alternative forms
  • 活舌

Noun

滑舌 (hiragana かつぜつ, rōmaji katsuzetsu, historical hiragana くわつぜつ)

  1. enunciation
    主人公 (しゅじんこう)の俳優 (はいゆう)は滑舌 (かつぜつ)が悪 (わる)くて、台詞 (せりふ)があまり聞 (き)き取 (と)れなかったね。
    Shujinkō no haiyū wa katsuzetsu ga warukute, serifu ga amari kikitorenakatta ne.
    The actor playing the lead character had bad enunciation, and I couldn't quite hear his lines.

Usage notes

Generally used to describe the speech of a stage actor or television presenter.[2]

References
  1. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
  2. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
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