Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

藁人形 (waraningyou) Japanese meaning: straw doll | Kotomora

藁わら人にん形ぎょう

also: ワラにんぎょう

わ

ら

に

ん

ぎょ

う

Meanings

1

straw doll; straw effigy

A doll made of straw, often associated with traditional rituals or curses (e.g., 丑の刻参り).

丑うしの刻こく参まいりでは、藁わら人にん形ぎょうに釘くぎを打うち込こむと言い

わ

れ

て

いる

。

In the ushi-no-koku-mairi ritual, it is said that nails are driven into a straw effigy.

祭まつりで大おおきな藁わら人にん形ぎょうが飾かざられていた。

A large straw doll was displayed at the festival.

Kanji

藁straw
人person
形shape, form, style

Related words

わら
藁 (わら) is the material 'straw'; 藁人形 is a doll made from it.
人にん形ぎょう
人形 is a general term for 'doll'; 藁人形 specifies a straw doll.

Built from

わら+人にん形ぎょう

Written forms

藁わら人にん形ぎょう
Standard kanji spelling; 藁 means straw.
わら人にん形ぎょう
Mixed kana-kanji spelling, common when 藁 is considered difficult or obscure.
ワラ人にん形ぎょう
Katakana spelling for わら, sometimes used for emphasis or in informal contexts.
ワラにんぎょう

Etymology

Compound of 藁 (わら, 'straw') and 人形 (にんぎょう, 'doll').