柴
brush, firewood
Readings
On'yomi
- サイ
- シ
Kun'yomi
- しば
Meaning
柴 centers on small woody plant material gathered for burning: brush, kindling, or firewood.
Most common words using 柴
- 柴しば
brushwood; firewood
- 柴犬しばいぬ
shiba inu (dog breed); shiba; brushwood dog
- 三島柴胡みしまさいこ
Bupleurum stenophyllum (species of medicinal herb)
- 噛柴たむしば
willow-leafed magnolia (Magnolia salicifolia); anise magnolia
- 柴刈りしばかり
firewood gathering
- 柴垣しばがき
brushwood fence
- 柴扉さいひ
brushwood door; brushwood gate
- 柴染ふしぞめ
brushwood color
- 柴田学園大学しばたがくえんだいがく
Shibata Gakuen University
- 柴胡さいこ
Bupleurum root; Radix Bupleuri
- 柴薪さいしん
brushwood and firewood
- 沢柴さわしば
heartleaf hornbeam (Carpinus cordata)
Study
Etymology
柴 combines 此 (a phonetic element) with 木 (tree/wood), suggesting small wood or brushwood used for fuel.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 此 looks like a pile of sticks, and the bottom 木 is a tree. Picture a pile of brushwood gathered from a tree for firewood.
Reading mnemonic
For サイ, imagine a sigh of relief as you light a fire with dry brushwood: sigh -> サイ, and the firewood catches flame.