匙

Glyph origin
.

Definitions

 * 1) spoon

Definitions

 * 1) key

Kanji

 * 1) spoon

Etymology 1
From. The goon, so likely the earliest borrowing from 🇨🇬.

Suffix

 * 1) spoon, scoop

Usage notes
Only found in compounds.

Derived terms

 * : a spoon or scoop used to scoop out incense
 * : a pair of tongs or chopsticks (usually metal), used to handle live coals or burning incense
 * : a spoon or scoop
 * : a spoon or scoop

Etymology 2
From. The kan'on, so a later borrowing. Compare modern 🇨🇬, 🇨🇬.

Suffix

 * 1) spoon, scoop

Usage notes
Only found in compounds.

Derived terms

 * : a spoon-shaped spade for digging
 * : a key

Etymology 3
Likely an alteration of the kan'on reading shi: →

Affix

 * 1) spoon, scoop

Usage notes
Only found in compounds.

Derived terms

 * : a spoon-shaped spade for digging
 * : a spoonful, as when measuring medicine

Etymology 4
/kapi1/ → →  →  →

From, from the way that clam shells were used as scoops.

Noun

 * 1)  a scoop for food
 * 2)  a wooden sword for training
 * This sense developed from an ateji spelling of (literally, “wooden blade”) applied to the food scoop meaning.

Derived terms

 * : a rice scoop
 * : a rice scoop
 * : a small bucket or basin used in the bath to scoop water from the tub to pour over oneself
 * ,, : a scoop used to scrape off ground material stuck to the inner surface of a mortar

Etymology 5


Originally a compound of. This on'yomi reading for a two-character term was then applied to the single-character 匙 spelling, and re-interpreted as kun'yomi.

Noun

 * 1) spoon, scoop used for food
 * 2) more specifically, a spoon or scoop used for compounding medicine
 * 3) by extension, medicine
 * 4) by further extension, a doctor
 * 1) by further extension, a doctor

Usage notes
In modern Japanese, the term is used to refer to spoons in general, including spoons as found in the Western world. The term saji generally refers more to the broad, usually flat-bottomed Asian-style spoon shown at right.

The saji reading is the most common in modern Japanese when using this term as a standalone noun. The kanji spelling (匙) is rarely encountered; it is usually written in hiragana alone (さじ).

Derived terms

 * : a stone spoon or scoop
 * : a large spoon or scoop, a ladle; a tablespoon, a unit of measure of 15ml
 * : a spoon ; a doctor
 * : a doctor
 * : an incense scoop
 * : a small spoon or scoop; a teaspoon, a unit of measure of 5ml
 * , : a perennial flowering plant,
 * : literally, “spoon moderation”: the degree of skill in compounding medicine; a doctor's method of treatment; the balance of flavors in a dish; knack or finesse in doing something
 * : “the spoon goes around” → to be skillful at compounding medicine
 * : literally, “spoon tip”: the degree of skill in compounding medicine; a doctor's skill in treatment
 * : “throw the spoon” → throw in the towel
 * : a teaspoon ; a teaspoon, a unit of measure of 5ml
 * : a spoon made from horn, such as a cow's horn, used historically when working with medicines
 * : a spoon or scoop used to scoop out ashes from the brazier used for tea ceremony
 * : a perennial plant, ( or )
 * : a single scoop of cooked rice

Idioms

 * : “not so much the tip of their spoon, as the tip of their tongue” → a pejorative comment about a doctor, stating that they are better at flattery and speaking nicely, than they are at actual medical treatment
 * : “to throw the [medicine] spoon” → to throw in the towel, to give up

Synonyms

 * ; : literally, “lotus leaf” from the similarity shape

Etymology 6
Appears to be an alteration of saji above: →

Noun

 * 1) spoon

Usage notes
This reading does not appear to be as common as the saji reading above. May be dialectal.

Etymology 7
Alternative spelling of, the of verb.

Rare. Only found in compounds.

Noun

 * 1)  a scoop

Usage notes
Although the general term can serve as a standalone noun, this particular 匙 spelling for sukui is only found in compounds.

Derived terms

 * : an incense scoop