Japanese Pronunciation IPA(key): [pʲin to̞] Adverb ぴんと or ピンと • (pin to) like a shock これを聞(き)いてピンときた。Kore o kīte pin to kita.On hearing it, they pricked up their ears, for it rang a bell. rigid; tense 背(せ)筋(すじ)をピンとするsesuji o pin to suruto straighten one's backWikiwand - on Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.