柴しば

し

ば

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers to small branches, twigs, or kindling used for fuel or fencing. Often appears in compounds like 柴垣 (brushwood fence) or 柴犬 (Shiba Inu, named for the brushwood where the breed hunted).

庭にわで柴しばを集あつめて焚たき火びをした。
We gathered brushwood in the garden and made a bonfire.
柴しばを束たばねて薪まきの代かわりに使つかう。
We bundle brushwood and use it instead of firewood.

See all 14 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が柴しばを刈かるto cut/gather brushwood
おじいさんは山やまへ柴しばを刈かりに行いった。
The old man went to the mountain to gather brushwood.
柴しばを燃もやすto burn brushwood
冬ふゆになると庭にわで柴しばを燃もやして暖だんを取とった。
In winter, they burned brushwood in the yard to keep warm.
柴しばで〈場ば所しょ〉を囲かこうto fence in a place with brushwood
畑はたけの周まわりを柴しばで囲かこった。
They fenced around the field with brushwood.

Kanji

柴brush, firewood

Related words

薪まき
薪 refers to split logs or larger pieces of firewood, while 柴 is thin twigs and small branches used as kindling or fencing.
枝えだN4
枝 is the general word for a tree branch of any size, whereas 柴 specifically means small cut branches gathered for fuel or fencing.

Counted with

束そく
Trade counter for standardized bundles (firewood, dried goods).
把わ
For bundles that fit in the grip — spinach, firewood, rice sheaves.

Word family

柴しば犬いぬ
Shiba Inu; Shiba; brushwood dog
タムシバ
willow-leafed magnolia; anise magnolia
柴しば垣がき
brushwood fence
サワシバ
heartleaf hornbeam
柴しば刈かり
firewood gathering; brushwood cutting

Written forms

柴しばUsage97%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news sources.
しばUsage3%

Etymology

The kanji 柴 combines 木 (tree) and 此 (this/here), originally referring to small trees or brushwood. The reading しば is native Japanese and has been used since Old Japanese for small branches and kindling.