かばん

か

ば

ん

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

usually written using kana alone

General term for a portable container used to carry personal items, including handbags, school satchels, briefcases, and shopping baskets.

かばんを肩かたにかけて出でかけた。
I went out with my bag slung over my shoulder.
書しょ類るいをかばんに入いれてください。
Please put the documents in the briefcase.
スーパーで買かったものをかばんに詰つめた。
I packed the things I bought at the supermarket into my bag.

See all 200 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を鞄かばんに入いれるto put something in a bag
教きょう科か書しょを鞄かばんに入いれた。
I put the textbook in my bag.
鞄かばんを持もつto carry/hold a bag
重おもい鞄かばんを両りょう手てで持もった。
I carried the heavy bag with both hands.
鞄かばんを背せ負おうto carry a bag on one's back
学がく生せいたちは鞄かばんを背せ負おって学がっ校こうへ行いく。
The students go to school carrying their bags on their backs.
〈物もの〉を鞄かばんから出だすto take something out of a bag
鞄かばんからノートを出だした。
I took a notebook out of my bag.

Kanji

鞄suitcase, bag, briefcase

Related words

バッグN3
バッグ is a loanword often used for fashionable handbags or specific styles, while 鞄 is the general native term covering any type of bag.
リュックN4
リュック refers specifically to a backpack, which is one type of 鞄 carried on the back.
ランドセル
かばん is the broad, generic word for any bag or briefcase, whereas ランドセル names one specific kind of school backpack.
手て提さげ
かばん covers all kinds of bags including briefcases and backpacks, whereas 手提げ refers only to a hand-carried, handled bag.

Counted with

個こN5
The all-purpose counter for small discrete objects, used when no more specific counter applies.
個こ口ぐち
Used for 鞄 when they are treated as pieces of luggage or parcels, e.g. for shipping or baggage handling.

Word family

小こ鞄かばん
small bag; small satchel
学がく生せい鞄かばん
school bag; schoolbag
折おり鞄かばん
briefcase; portfolio

Written forms

かばんUsage19%
Hiragana spelling is the most common written form.
鞄かばんUsage46%
Standard kanji form, but the word is usually written in kana.
カバンUsage36%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is also used, especially in informal or stylistic contexts.

Etymology

The exact derivation is uncertain; the word is conventionally written with the kanji 鞄, which is a kokuji (Japanese-made kanji) combining 革 (leather) and 包 (wrap).