猫背

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 猫背 is read ねこぜ and means a stooped posture with the back and shoulders rounded forward.
• Basic usage: It is used for becoming hunched over a desk or straightening one's back while looking in a mirror.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Reading 背
  • In this word, 背 is read ぜ. The sound of 背(せ), meaning the back, changes within the compound.