Translation guide
A cask is a barrel-shaped container, usually made of wood, used for storing liquids like wine or whiskey. In Japanese, the most common word is 樽 (たる), but there are also specific terms for different sizes and uses.
The learner wants to refer to a wooden barrel for storing liquids.
The most common and general word for a wooden barrel or cask. Used for sake, soy sauce, whiskey, etc.
The learner wants to refer to a smaller barrel, perhaps for personal use or transport.
Literally 'small cask'. Used for smaller barrels, often for sake or soy sauce.
お土産に小樽の醤油を買いました。
I bought a small cask of soy sauce as a souvenir.
The learner wants to use 'cask' as a measurement, especially for oil or alcohol.
Standard unit of volume for oil and sometimes alcohol. One barrel is about 159 liters for oil.
この樽には日本酒が入っています。
This cask contains sake.
ワインはオークの樽で熟成されます。
Wine is aged in oak casks.
Loanword from English 'barrel', often used in industrial or international contexts, like oil barrels or whiskey barrels.
原油の価格は1バレルあたりで表示されます。
The price of crude oil is quoted per barrel.
Specifically a sake cask. Often used in ceremonial contexts like kagami-biraki (opening a sake cask at celebrations).
結婚式で酒樽を開けました。
We opened a sake cask at the wedding.
Can also be used for small casks, but 小樽 is more precise.
このたるは持ち運びに便利です。
This cask is easy to carry.
この油田は1日に1万バレルを生産します。
This oil field produces 10,000 barrels per day.
Historically used as a unit for sake or soy sauce, but not standardized. Rare in modern contexts.
江戸時代には、酒は樽単位で取引されました。
In the Edo period, sake was traded by the cask.