樋
water pipe, gutter, downspout, conduit
Readings
On'yomi
- トウ
Kun'yomi
- ひ
- とい
Nanori
- て
- と
- とよ
- とわ
Meaning
樋 centers on a channel that directs water: a pipe, gutter, downspout, or conduit. All meanings share the idea of guiding flowing water along a set path.
Most common words using 樋
- 樋とい
trough; gutter; water pipe; flume; chute
- 伏せ樋ふせどい
covered drain
- 呼び樋よびどい
elbow; gooseneck; rainspout
- 木樋もくひ
wooden water pipe; wooden flume
- 樋嘴ひはし
gargoyle
- 樋川ひがわ
(water) spring
- 樋殿ひどの
toilet
- 縦樋たてどい
downpipe; drainspout; water pipe
- 軒樋のきどい
rain gutter; roof gutter; eaves gutter
- 鎖樋くさりとい
rain chain (hanging from a gutter and functioning as downspout, often made of ornamental cups)
- 雨樋あまどい
drainspout; rain gutter
Study
Etymology
樋 combines 木 (wood) with 通 (pass through), suggesting a wooden channel through which water passes. This is a straightforward phono-semantic compound where 通 likely contributes the sound トウ.
Meaning mnemonic
A wooden 木 channel that lets water pass through 通: picture a wooden gutter or downspout guiding rainwater from the roof to the ground.
Reading mnemonic
For トウ, imagine a toe stuck in a water pipe: toe -> トウ, and the water flows through the wooden conduit around it.