Usage patterns 棒ぼう で 〈 人ひと 〉 を 殴なぐ る to hit someone with a stick
The thief hit the clerk with a stick and ran away.
棒ぼう グラフで 〈 事こと 〉 を 示しめ す to show something with a bar graph
The change in sales was shown with a bar graph.
棒ぼう を 振ふ る to swing a stick or baton
The conductor quietly began to swing his baton.
棒ぼう 状じょう の 〈 物もの 〉 a rod-shaped/stick-shaped object
This snack is shaped like a stick.
Expressions· 16 足あし が 棒ぼう になる legs feel like lead; legs turn to jelly; get stiff legs 柔じゅう 剣けん 棒ぼう jūkenbō; body, sword and staff techniques Show 3 more Show fewer 藪やぶ から 棒ぼう out of the blue; bolt from the blue; complete surprise 藪やぶ から 棒ぼう に out of the blue; all of a sudden; unexpectedly 足あし を 棒ぼう にする walk one's legs off; walk until one's legs feel like lead; walk to the point of exhaustion See all 16 in Explore →
Related words 竿 typically refers to a longer, more flexible pole such as a fishing rod or a pole for hanging laundry, while 棒 is a more general term for any rigid stick or rod.
棒 is the native Japanese word for a stick or rod and covers longer or more generic objects, while スティック usually refers to a smaller, hand-held stick or a specific product shape (like a glue stick or snack stick).
棒 is a native Japanese word for a stick or rod, often thicker and less specialized than ポール , which is a loanword for longer, purpose-built poles like flagpoles or tent poles.
棒 is the everyday native Japanese word for a stick or pole, while ロッド is a loanword typically used in technical or sports contexts like fishing or machinery.
Counted with book; volume; script · this; present; current; in question · main; head; principal · real; genuine; regular; proper · counter for long cylindrical objects; counter for films, TV shows, etc.; counter for goals, home runs, etc.; counter for telephone calls
Word family· 121 partner; pal; accomplice
thief; burglar; robber · theft; burglary; robbery · steal; commit theft
bodyguard; bouncer; security guard · door bar; bolt · self-defense stick; pole for self-defense
monotone reading; wooden delivery · reading Chinese classics without translation
cotton swab; Q-tip
Show 25 more Show fewer stick; club; cudgel; bludgeon
iron rod; iron bar; iron club · horizontal bar (gymnastics)
rod-shaped; cylindrical; stick-like
police baton; truncheon; billy club
standing bolt upright; standing rigidly; rearing up
curt; blunt; brusque
one end of a palanquin pole; one of two palanquin bearers
metal rod; iron bar; crowbar · iron club; night watchman's staff
pole vault
conductor's baton; baton · perforated baton; bâton de commandement
drawing a line through; striking out; crossing out · cancellation of a debt; writing off · long-vowel mark; indicating a long vowel with a line · tug of war with a pole
bar graph; bar chart
rolling pin
parallel bars
bōjutsu; art of using a stick as a weapon
round bar; round rod
pestle
good batting; strong hitting
front palanquin bearer · flunky; cat's-paw; tool
rear palanquin carrier
shaft; axle; mandrel; arbor · central figure; core member; linchpin
person missing at least one hand
bat; batting
ritual rod to ward off evil
wooden stick; wooden pole
See all 121 in Explore →
Written forms 棒ぼう Usage 98%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
ぼう Usage 2%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing, especially for the internet slang sense.
Etymology The kanji 棒 originally depicts a wooden stick or club. The reading ぼう is the on'yomi. The slang sense is a shortening of 棒読み .
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