Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

open the kimono

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.95 in modern English

Syllables: open the ki-mono
IPA

24

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To reveal confidential information, especially details of one's business operations.

Example Sentences

"For the first 10 minutes, Lui refuses to "open the kimono" and reveal details about the company."
"Before agreeing to “open the kimono” and show them everything, first ask exactly what they will want to see—all sales records, from all customers?"

Etymology

Unknown. Possibly a calque of Japanese 胸襟を開く (“to share one's feelings”, literally “to open one's collar”) or Japanese 裃を脱ぐ (“to be frank”, literally “to take off one's haori and hakama (two garments worn over a kimono)”).

Inflected Forms

opens the kimono (present, singular) opening the kimono (participle, present) opened the kimono (participle, past) opened the kimono (past) open up the kimono (alternative)

Questions

What does open the kimono mean?: To reveal confidential information, especially details of one's business operations.
Where does open the kimono come from?: Unknown. Possibly a calque of Japanese 胸襟を開く (“to share one's feelings”, literally “to open one's collar”) or Japanese 裃を脱ぐ (“to be frank”, literally “to take off one's haori and hakama (two garments worn over a kimono)”).

How to pronounce open the kimono

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