Why 皮切り is labelled as a sensitive word in the dictionary?


When I studied Japanese this morning, I found this word **皮切り** in my
dictionary:

Example sentence: それを **皮切り** として欧州の詩や文学を多数紹介するようになりました。

Translation: With that **as a start** many European poems and much literature
came to be introduced.

From the example sentence, I don't find the usage 'sensitive'.

**Sources:** <https://jisho.org/search/%E7%9A%AE%E5%88%87%E3%82%8A>

However, after some research, I find this to be interesting:

**Opinion of user1**

> [http://www.edrdg.org/jmdictdb/cgi-
> bin/entr.py?svc=jmdict&sid=&e=1118327](http://www.edrdg.org/jmdictdb/cgi-
> bin/entr.py?svc=jmdict&sid=&e=1118327)
>
> 最初に据える灸は皮膚を切るような痛みを感じることから。包茎手術の意はないが卑俗に感じる場合もある
>
> Basically it's from the two Kanji used that give the feeling of "cut skin".
>
> My guess: This word is related to a **circumcision** , thus labelled as
> 'sensitive'.

**Opinion of user2**

> I have never thought of 皮切り as a sensitive word. I use it, people use it.
>
> It seems that some publisher put this word on their list of sensitive words
> at some time because they thought it might remind the readers of
> circumcision, and therefore might sound vulgar.
>
> In my opinion, it's far-fetched. Again, people use the word.

**Opinion of user3**

> There are lots of words to do with cutting, leather, flesh, and butchery
> which might have connotations that moderns no longer feel.
>
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burakumin>
>
> Note that Entertainers were even below them, considered non-human, whereas
> Burakumin were cast out, but still considered human. It gives more context
> to "The Izu Dancer", that.

**Additional information:**

> In **[JMDICT history](http://www.edrdg.org/jmdictdb/cgi-
> bin/entr.py?svc=jmdict&sid=&e=1118327)** : This word seems to be included in
> **放送禁止用語** or banned words in TV. It's on the NHK list of things to be
> avoided or used carefully. It seems it can be confused with circumcision.

**My questions:**

1.Are their opinions correct? I mean that the reason of the word being
sensitive? Why do you think so?

2.What do you feel when using the word i.e.: 皮切り, is it truly sensitive to
your native ear?

3.One of the meaning is ' **beginning with/starting with** ' and I think it's
pretty neutral. Is this correct?

Thank you very much!

[Source2](https://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/comments/799heu/why_is_%E7%9A%AE%E5%88%87%E3%82%8A_a_sensitive_word/)




  1. I am not sure. 皮切り derives from the usage in 灸, and my monolingual dictionaries do not have any relevant information (about its being sensitive). I don't really imagine it can be incorrectly linked to circumcision. I was not able to verify that it is prohibited on TV at all.

  2. It is never sensitive for me. In fact, it is often used in news, including NHK.

  3. It is neutral. 

Some usages:

  * １６世紀、太閤・秀吉が進めた城下町の開発を皮切りに、江戸時代から急速に水運が発達した大阪 --- [NHK](https://www.nhk.or.jp/fudoki/140905broadcast1.html)
  * 日本勢は清水宏保がスケート５００ｍで「金」に輝いたのを皮切りにメダルラッシュ --- [Yomiuri](https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2010/guide/playback.htm)
  * ソチ五輪の競技始まる スノボ男子予選を皮切りに --- the title of [an article](https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASFK0601M_W4A200C1000000/) from 日本経済新聞
  * 昨年2月に岩手県で開会式典が行われたのを皮切りに， --- [文化庁](http://www.bunka.go.jp/pr/publish/bunkachou_geppou/2013_02/special_06/special_06.html)
  * 上海の百貨店を皮切りにテナント展開 --- [JETRO](https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2014/03/530fd4f27b4a8.html), Japan External Trade Organization

As you can see, many sources with status uses the expression. It being
sensitive is a minority view, if not an urban legend.




  1. I am not sure. 皮切り derives from the usage in 灸, and my monolingual dictionaries do not have any relevant information (about its being sensitive). I don't really imagine it can be incorrectly linked to circumcision. I was not able to verify that it is prohibited on TV at all.

  2. It is never sensitive for me. In fact, it is often used in news, including NHK.

  3. It is neutral. 

Some usages:

  * １６世紀、太閤・秀吉が進めた城下町の開発を皮切りに、江戸時代から急速に水運が発達した大阪 --- [NHK](https://www.nhk.or.jp/fudoki/140905broadcast1.html)
  * 日本勢は清水宏保がスケート５００ｍで「金」に輝いたのを皮切りにメダルラッシュ --- [Yomiuri](https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2010/guide/playback.htm)
  * ソチ五輪の競技始まる スノボ男子予選を皮切りに --- the title of [an article](https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASFK0601M_W4A200C1000000/) from 日本経済新聞
  * 昨年2月に岩手県で開会式典が行われたのを皮切りに， --- [文化庁](http://www.bunka.go.jp/pr/publish/bunkachou_geppou/2013_02/special_06/special_06.html)
  * 上海の百貨店を皮切りにテナント展開 --- [JETRO](https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2014/03/530fd4f27b4a8.html), Japan External Trade Organization

As you can see, many sources with status uses the expression. It being
sensitive is a minority view, if not an urban legend.

