The meaning of 吸口 in this context


The situation (story from Edo period, but in contemporary Japanese, at most
stylised on old language): three thieves A, B, and C working in a group.
Pickpocket A is caught in a crowd, B disappears from the scene, C appears and
punishes A (as a staged punishment to let A go without the crowd turning on
him). A comes "home" and is questioned by B:

> B: 吸口{すいくち}はどうしたんだ。
>
> A: 後ろにいるに違いない。間を置いてやってくるだろう。

So 吸口 clearly seems to refer to the C.

* * *

What does 吸口 mean in this context?

The only explanation I could come up with is that as an analogy to the kiseru
pipe, it describes the second person following, after splitting in two groups.

But I cannot find this meaning in any dictionary ([for
example](http://www.weblio.jp/content/%E5%90%B8%E5%8F%A3)).

Would it be understandable for native speakers if used in a similar situation
in a conversation?

Or is there any other meaning of 吸口 in this situation?

I'm also not sure if A's question makes sense - if that was the meaning of 吸口,
using it (instead of C's name) would be sort of tautological (it should be
obvious that a person following will come later). But then in literary style
it might be acceptable.

There was no mention of C being smoker. Which was my other guess.




> What does 吸口 mean in this context?

I have no idea.

> Would it be understandable for native speakers if used in a similar
> situation in a conversation?

No. Definitely not!

> Or is there any other meaning of 吸口 in this situation?

Yes.

<https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%B8%E5%8F%A3>

<http://japan-word.com/archives/2108365.html>

According to this definition, maybe the person C has the nickname because his
role was a "tiny-but-situation-improver" or something. However, it is only my
guess and there is no evidence nor confidence. It depends on the context.
Furthermore, I didn't even know this definition of 吸い口, either.

>
> 日本のキセルは西洋のパイプと違って「雁首」「羅宇」「吸口」の３つに分かれる構造になっていますが、ヒントになりますか。あだ‌​名をつけるとすると「雁首」が一番強い人。‌​「吸口」が二番目。けむりを通すだけの「羅‌​宇」は一番弱い人。旨い汁を吸う「吸口」が‌​一番強い人かもしれませんが。

I respect this comment, but I have a doubt about this interpretation. If other
counterparts, the person A and B, were called 「雁首」and「羅宇」, I could have agreed
with this interpretation 100%. However, if A and B weren't called so, it
doesn't make sense that only C is called "suikuchi." Don't you think so?

> 吸口 すいくち suikuchi

<http://kanji.reader.bz/more/%E5%8F%A3>

It seems that 吸口 can be a family name according to this online dictionary,
although I have a doubt about the accuracy of the dictionary when I look at
other family names which do not seem to be family names.

Anyway, it seems that the word is a proper-noun, a special nickname, an
obsolete and dead word, or an extremely advanced technical jargon that is
never understandable by most of the ordinary modern Japanese people.

"The part of a Japanese pipe" and "a seasoning" and "Suikuchi, the family
name" are merely "guess-what"s after all, in my humble opinion.

(If you want this question leave on the list of " **UNANSWERED** " until
somebody will answer what exactly you want in the future, just let me know.
I'll be glad to delete this answer. :) )

