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Kotomora

匠

artisan, workman, carpenter

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes6

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

Explore all words using 匠 →

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.