strong person; tough-looking person; person putting on a brave front
Allusive use based on the image of the warrior monk Benkei. Often suggests great strength or someone acting tough; as an ordinary common noun it is less common than direct words such as 力持ち.
He was a Benkei-like giant and carried the heavy luggage with ease.
He was putting on a tough front, but in fact he was scared.
bamboo utensil stand; bamboo tube stand with holes
Traditional object name for a bamboo tube with holes used to stand kitchen utensils, fans, or similar items upright. This is a specialized and uncommon sense.
In old kitchens, chopsticks and rice paddles were kept inserted in a bamboo benkei stand.
checks; plaid; checked pattern
Textile term used as an abbreviation of 弁慶縞, a checked or plaid pattern. It is not the general everyday word for any check pattern.
See also: 弁慶縞
When a textile description says “benkei,” it may be abbreviating benkei-jima, a checked pattern.
Sesarmops intermedium (a type of grapsoid crab)