gnawing
かじる
解説 Definition
gnawing は gnaw（かじる、かみ続ける）の現在分詞・動名詞です。動物が物を少しずつかじる動作を表し、物理的にかむ意味で使われます。
Gnawing is the present participle or gerund of gnaw. In its physical sense, it describes repeatedly biting or scraping something with the teeth, usually wearing it away little by little.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
原形 gnaw「かじる」に -ing を付け、語末の w は重ねず gnawing とします。gnaw では先頭の g は発音せず、語幹は「ノー」に近い音です。ネズミが木箱を、犬が骨を何度もかみ、歯で少しずつ削る姿を思い浮かべ、gnawing a bone／wood の組み合わせで覚えましょう。
Begin with the base verb gnaw and add -ing without doubling the final w: gnawing. The initial g is silent in both forms, so the pronunciation begins with an n sound. Picture a mouse repeatedly biting wood or a dog working at an old bone. The key is repetition: gnawing is not one quick bite but continued biting that gradually cuts, scrapes, or wears material away. Common patterns such as gnawing a bone, gnawing at wood, and an animal gnawing through a box preserve this physical image and distinguish the action from ordinary eating.
例文
The mouse was gnawing a hole in the wooden box.
そのネズミは木箱に穴を開けるようにかじっていました。
I heard a small animal gnawing under the floor.
床下で小さな動物がかじっている音が聞こえました。
The dog kept gnawing the old bone beside the door.
その犬はドアのそばで古い骨をかじり続けていました。
gnawing の類義語・関連語
gnawing の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古英語gnagan（かじる）に由来し、ゲルマン祖語*gnawanōから。印欧祖語*ghnēu-（かじる・削る）が語源で、ギリシャ語のgnathion（顎）とも同根。関連語にnag（しつこく悩ます）がある。歯で少しずつ削る動作が原義。
Gnawing is formed from gnaw plus -ing. Gnaw descends from Old English gnagan, “to bite or gnaw,” and belongs to an old Germanic group of words describing repeated biting or scraping with the teeth. Its deeper Indo-European history is also associated with biting and the jaw. Although the initial g remains in the modern spelling, it is silent in standard English pronunciation. The original physical sense is still central to this use.
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