noun
rosewood; red sandalwood
Refers to the dark, dense hardwood from trees of the genus Dalbergia or Pterocarpus, used for high-quality furniture, musical instruments, and carvings. In Japanese contexts, it often specifically means 紫檀 (Pterocarpus santalinus) or related species.
この家具は紫檀で作られています。
This furniture is made of rosewood.
紫檀は高級な木材として知られている。
Rosewood is known as a high-grade timber.
From Chinese 紫檀 (zǐtán), literally 'purple sandalwood'. The Japanese reading したん is the on'yomi of the characters.