also: ちかろ · じひろ
noun
sunken hearth; sunken fireplace
Archaic term for a traditional sunken hearth, similar to an いろり (irori).
古い民家には地火炉が切ってあった。
In old folk houses, a sunken hearth was built.
いろり is the common modern term for a traditional sunken hearth; 地火炉 is an archaic synonym.
Compound of 地 (ji, 'ground') + 火 (ka, 'fire') + 炉 (ro, 'hearth'). The reading じかろ is the most common; ちかろ and じひろ are rare variant readings.