松明たいまつ

Written forms

• 松明Usage76%iUsage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.
  • たいまつ

    gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

    Standard kanji spelling for the common reading たいまつ.

  • しょうめい
• たいまつUsage21%
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

  Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji 松明 might be unfamiliar.

• タイマツUsage3%
• 炬たいまつ
  rarely-used kanji formgikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

  Rarely used kanji form.

• しょうめい

Etymology

Probably developed by sound change from たきまつ, “burning pine,” referring to a torch made with resinous pine. 松明 and 炬火 are conventional spellings.