also: みずうす
water-powered millstone
Archaic term for a millstone driven by water power. Found in historical documents; not used in modern Japanese.
The water-powered millstone was used to grind grain in old watermills.
水車 is the common modern word for a waterwheel or watermill, while 碾磑 specifically refers to the millstone component driven by water.
石臼 is a general term for a stone mortar or hand mill, not necessarily water-powered.
Archaic kanji compound; the reading てんがい is restricted to this spelling. Rarely encountered outside historical contexts.
Alternate archaic spelling using 水 (water) and 碓 (pestle/mill). The reading みずうす is not restricted to a specific kanji form.
Kana spelling for the reading みずうす, provided as a search aid. The word is normally written with kanji in historical texts.
Compound of 碾 (grind with a roller) and 磑 (millstone). The reading てんがい is Sino-Japanese. The alternate form 水碓 combines 水 (water) and 碓 (pestle/mill) with the native reading みずうす.