Nape

For other uses, see Nape (disambiguation).

The nape of a Geisha

Mother cat carrying her kitten

The nape is the back of the neck. In technical anatomical/medical terminology, the nape is referred to by the word nucha, which also gives the adjective corresponding to "nape" in English, "nuchal".

In many mammals, the nape is the site of the scruff, a loose, non-sensitive area of skin by which the mother can carry her young, holding the scruff between her teeth. In domestic cats, the scruff is used when a mother cat transfers her kittens to a new nest or den site (carrying each kitten by gripping its scruff in her teeth), and in mating, when the male cat (tom) grips the female cat's scruff with his teeth to help keep her relatively immobile.^[1]

In traditional Japanese culture, the nape (known in the Japanese language as unaji 項) was one of the few areas of the body (other than face and hands) left uncovered by women's attire. The nape of a woman's neck held a strong attraction for many Japanese men (see Geisha makeup).^[2]

The nape is sometimes a target of body piercing.^[3]

References

1. ^ Illustrated Catwatching by Desmond Morris (Crescent Books, 1994, ISBN 0-517-12065-8), pp. 94, 108.
2. ^ Womansword: What Japanese Words Say about Women, by Kittredge Cherry (Kodansha, International, 1987, ISBN 4-7700-1655-7), p. 21.
3. ^ http://www.bodyjewelleryshop.com/body_piercing_information/location_types/surface_nape.cfm

This anatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Head and neck Anatomy stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую Die Südostschweiz Kunihiko Iwadare Look at other dictionaries: Nape — (griech. Νάπη, bewaldetes Tal, Schlucht ) ist in der Antike der Name eines Ortes auf Lesbos: Nape (Lesbos) eines Bergbaureviers in Attika: Nape (Attika) der Personifikation des Waldtals: Nape (Personifikation) eines der Hunde des Aktaion, nach… …   Deutsch Wikipedia Nape — (n[=a]p), n. [Perh. akin to knap a knop.] The back part of the neck. Spenser. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English nape — ⇒NAPE, subst. fém. Région (Centre). Nénuphar, nymphéa. Si, par bonheur, il ne s était pas noyé dans la rivière, on pouvait toujours bien dire qu il s était noyé dans son chagrin et dans son dépit, au point de rester là comme une souche (...) la… …   Encyclopédie Universelle nape — [neıp] n [singular] literary the bottom part of the back of your neck, where the hair ends ▪ the soft warm nape of her neck …   Dictionary of contemporary English nape — [ neıp ] noun singular the back of your neck: He kissed the nape of her neck …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English nape — nape; sur·nape; …   English syllables Nape — NAPE, es, einer von Aktäons vielen Hunden, welche ihren eigenen Herrn zerrissen. Ovid. Met. III. v. 314. Hygin. Fab. 181 …   Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon nape — (n.) back of the neck, c.1300, of unknown origin, perhaps from O.Fr. hanap a goblet, in reference to the hollow at the base of the skull. The entire absence of forms with initial k makes it difficult to connect the word with the apparently… …   Etymology dictionary nape — ► NOUN ▪ the back of a person s neck. ORIGIN of unknown origin …   English terms dictionary nape — [nāp, nap] n. [ME < ?] the back of the neck …   English World dictionary 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”