匠
artisan, workman, carpenter
Readings
On'yomi
- ショウ
Kun'yomi
- たくみ
Meaning
匠 centers on a skilled craftsperson who makes things by hand: an artisan, workman, or carpenter. The idea is mastery of a manual trade.
Most common words using 匠
20 of 32- 師匠ししょうN1
master; teacher
- 匠たくみ
craftsman; artisan; workman; carpenter
- 意匠いしょう
design
- 巨匠きょしょうN1
master; masterhand; maestro
- 鷹匠たかじょう
falconer; hawker
- 刀匠とうしょう
swordsmith
- 名匠めいしょう
master craftsman; skillful worker
- 宗匠そうしょう
master; teacher
- 剣匠けんしょう
swordsmith
- 匠しょう
craftsman; artisan; carpenter; (skilled) workman
- 匠人しょうじん
craftsman; artisan; workman; carpenter
- 匠気しょうき
affectation; desire to be impressive
- 学匠がくしょう
scholar
- 工匠こうしょう
artisan; mechanic
- 工業意匠こうぎょういしょう
industrial design
- 意匠を凝らしたいしょうをこらした
elaborately designed
- 意匠学会いしょうがっかい
Japan Society of Design
- 意匠惨憺いしょうさんたん
taxing one's ingenuity in devising something; agonizing over designing or creating something; making strenuous efforts to devise good ways and means to do something
- 意匠権いしょうけん
design right; right(s) to a design
- 意匠法いしょうほう
Design Act
Study
Etymology
匠 combines 匚 (a container or box) with 斤 (an axe). The traditional explanation is that it represents a carpenter's tool box with an axe inside, symbolizing a skilled woodworker or artisan.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a toolbox (匚) with an axe (斤) inside. The person who uses these tools is a skilled artisan or carpenter.
Reading mnemonic
For ショウ, imagine a master carpenter showing off a finely crafted box: show -> ショウ, and inside the box is his favorite axe.