薬指

[katafei]

In my word list for the day, I ran into this combination:

薬指
くすりゆび

and I'm totally fascinated by it.
Is there a story behind this word/meaning?
(Not quite sure how to phrase that.)

[a_iwai]

This finger had been used to apply medicine in Japan. The name is derived from it.

Also now, I sometimes use this finger to apply ointment. (For example, when I'm doing desk work, to avoid sticking of ointment to stationery , to use this finger is suitable, I think. )

[katafei]

Ah, very interesting!
Ｉ will not forget this word anymore.
ありがとうございました。

[keatonatron]

親指 - the "parent" of all fingers (because it's the fattest?)
人差し指 - finger for pointing at people
中指 - quite literally "middle finger"
薬指 - as explained above
小指 - the smallest finger

I think the second one is the funniest. If you creatively change the kanji to 人刺し指, I guess it would be the finger for poking people.

[skrhgh3b]

keatonatron wrote:
親指 - the "parent" of all fingers (because it's the fattest?)

it's been a couple of years since a japanese friend explained this to me, so i'm probably messing it up, but when you see an accident or something, you hide your thumb under your fingers so that nothing bad will happen to your parents.... corrections welcome, but that's how i remember "親指" being explained to me.