Japanese scull; traditional oar
A single oar attached to the stern of a traditional Japanese boat, pivoted in a peg-in-hole oarlock. Used for propulsion and steering.
The fisherman sculled the boat forward with the ro.
The ro of this traditional Japanese boat is very long.
The boatman rowed across the river using the scull.
The fisherman skillfully handles the scull thanks to years of experience.
櫓 is a larger sculling oar mounted on the stern and worked with a twisting wrist motion, whereas 櫂 is a handheld paddle used for direct strokes.
櫓 (ろ, an oar) is long and slender, so it is traditionally counted with 丁.
Standard kanji for a traditional Japanese scull.
Kana spelling is practical in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
Variant kanji; less common but still used.
The origin is uncertain; the word is native Japanese and has been used for centuries to refer to the traditional sculling oar.