メンチを切る

Etymology

Phrase composed of メンチ (menchi, various possible derivations; see below) + を (o, object particle) + 切る (kiru, “to cut something, to cut across something, to break something; to do something boldly”).

Unknown derivation. メンチ (menchi) on its own generally means mince, as in mincemeat, ground meat.^[1][2] That does not fit this idiom, however.

One explanation is that メンチ (menchi) is an alteration of メンタ, as found in the synonymous Kansai expression メンタを切る (menta o kiru). In this, menta is an alteration of 目の玉 (me no tama, “eyeball”): /me no tama/ → /mentama/ → /menta/. The standard term 目玉 (medama, “eyeball”) is also used metaphorically to mean a glare, a stare; a scolding; compare English hairy eyeball, to eye. In this case, the phrase could be parsed as: menta o kiru → “to boldy eyeball someone” → “to glare in challenge”.

Phonetically, however, there is no clear mechanism for メンタ (menta) to change into メンチ (menchi). A more likely phonetic origin might be 面子 (mentsu, “face, honor”). In this case, the phrase could be parsed as: menchi o kiru → “to cut / break someone else's honor” → “to glare in challenge”.

The derivation may be a combination of the above, where menta may have been influenced by mentsu to become menchi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mẽ̞ɴt͡ɕi o̞ kiɾ̠ɯᵝ]

Alternative forms

• メンチ切る (​menchi kiru)

Idiom

メンチを切る (hiragana and katakana メンチをきる, rōmaji menchi o kiru)

1. (Kansai, slang) to stare or glare in challenge; by extension, to pick a fight
   • 2013, 我龍真吾逮捕／大麻汚染はなぜつづく (Garyū Shingo Taiho / Taima Osen wa Naze Tsuzuku, “Shingo Garyū Arrest: Why Does Marijuana Pollution Continue?”; in Japanese), All About, Inc.; text here

     我龍はM-1ミドル級王者のスタイルを保持（逮捕後の27日に返上）、K-1MAXを始めキック各団体に参戦。元暴走族という“前歴”を売りに、金髪に染めたヘアスタイルに、特攻服のヤンキースタイルで入場、対戦前には相手にメンチを切る（にらみ合う）という不良パフォーマンスで人気を博した名物選手。

     がりゅうはM-1ミドルきゅうおうじゃのスタイルをほじ（たいほごのにじゅうしちにちにへんじょう）、K-1MAXをはじめキックかくだんたいにさんせん。もとぼうそうぞくという“ぜんれき”をうりに、きんぱつにそめたヘアスタイルに、とっこうふくのヤンキースタイルでにゅうじょう、たいせんぜんにはあいてにメンチをきる（にらみあう）というふりょうパフォーマンスでにんきをはくしためいぶつせんしゅ。

     Garyū wa M-1 midoru-kyū ōja no sutairu o hoji (taiho-go no nijūshichi-nichi ni henjō), K-1MAX o hajime kikku kaku-dantai ni sansen. Moto bōsōzoku to iu "zenreki" o uri ni, kinpatsu ni someta hea sutairu ni, tokkō-fuku no yankī sutairu de nyūjō, taisen-zen ni wa aite ni menchi o kiru (niramiau) to iu furyō pafōmansu de ninki o hakushita meibutsu senshu.

     Garyū styled himself as the king of middle-weight M-1 (returning on the 27th [the day] after his arrest), and competed in K-1 MAX and the other kickboxing leagues. He was a famous competitor who gained popularity for his bad-boy performance, playing up his "past history" as a former biker gang member, with his hair dyed blond, coming into the ring wearing his gang regalia, and glaring a challenge out into the crowd before a match.

Further reading

• Japanese Slang Dictionary (in Japanese): entry for menchi kiru
• Japanese Slang Dictionary (in Japanese): entry for menta kiru

References