匙さじ

also: しゃじ

さ

じ

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

spoon

usually written using kana alone

General word for spoon. Often used in cooking contexts (e.g., 大さじ, 小さじ). Cross-referenced with スプーン, which is a common loanword synonym.

See also: スプーン

砂さ糖とうを大おおさじ一いっ杯ぱい入いれてください。
Please add one tablespoon of sugar.
このスープには小こさじ半はん分ぶんの塩しおがちょうどいい。
Half a teaspoon of salt is just right for this soup.

See all 16 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉をさじですくうto scoop something up with a spoon
スープをさじですくって飲のんだ。
I scooped up the soup with a spoon and drank it.
匙さじを投なげるto give up on something (idiom, originally of a doctor abandoning treatment)
医い者しゃはもう手ての施ほどこしようがないと匙さじを投なげた。
The doctor gave up, saying there was nothing more he could do.

Kanji

匙spoon
匕spoon, spoon or katakana hi radical (no. 21)

Related words

スプーンN5
匙 is the traditional Japanese word, common in cooking measurements like 大さじ・小さじ, while スプーン is the modern loanword used for Western-style spoons in everyday dining.

Counted with

本ほんN5
spoons are conventionally counted as long, slender objects with 本 in everyday usage.

Word family

灰はい匙さじ
ash scoop (tea ceremony)
石いし匙さじ
stone spoon; stone knife

Written forms

匙Usage39%
- さじ
  Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
- かい
  out-dated reading
- しゃじ
さじUsage40%
Kana spelling is common; usually written in kana.
サジUsage19%
匕Usage2%
- さじ
  Rare kanji variant; not commonly used.
- かい
  out-dated reading
- しゃじ
かいUsage1%
out-dated reading
しゃじ
Alternate reading; less common than さじ.

Etymology

The reading さじ is native Japanese, while しゃじ is a later borrowing from Chinese. The kanji 匙 originally referred to a spoon or ladle.