炉
ろ
Meanings
1
Refers to a traditional open hearth or a fireplace in a room, often associated with irori or a domestic fire.
In winter, I warm myself by the hearth.
2
Used for industrial or craft heating devices, such as a smelting furnace or a pottery kiln.
The potter fires their work in a kiln.
3
young girl; childlike young woman
Internet slang derived from 炉裏 (irori) → いろり → ロリ (loli). Used in online communities to refer to a young or young-looking female character or person.
See also: ロリ
Online, 炉 is sometimes used to mean 'loli'.
Usage patterns
- 炉に火をつけるto light a fire in the hearth
On a winter night, we lit the hearth to warm up.
- 炉で〈物〉を溶かすto melt something in a furnace
They melt iron in this furnace to make tools.
- 炉の火が消えるthe fire in the hearth goes out
As the night wore on, the fire in the hearth went out.
- 炉を止めるto shut down a furnace or reactor
After the accident, work to shut down the reactor continued.
Expressions
- 炉を囲むsit around the fire; gather around the hearth