おたま

お

た

ま

JLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

ladle

usually written using kana aloneabbreviation

Abbreviation of お玉杓子 (otamajakushi). Common in everyday kitchen contexts.

Usage patterns

おたまで〈物もの〉をすくうto scoop something up with a ladle
おたまでスープをすくって器うつわに入いれた。
I scooped up the soup with a ladle and put it in the bowl.
おたまで〈物もの〉をよそうto serve/dish out food with a ladle
おたまでご飯はんをよそうのが得とく意いだ。
I'm good at dishing out rice with a ladle.

Kanji

玉jewel, ball

Related words

おたまじゃくし sense 1
お玉杓子 is the full, formal name for the ladle that お玉 abbreviates in everyday kitchen speech, and it can also mean 'tadpole'.
卵たまごN5sense 2
卵 is the standard modern word for a hen's egg, while お玉 in this sense is a rare, old-fashioned or dialectal term.
しゃもじN3
しゃもじ is a flat paddle used for serving rice, while おたま is a round-bowled ladle used for soups and liquids.

Counted with

本ほんN5
book; volume; script · this; present; current; in question · main; head; principal · real; genuine; regular; proper · counter for long cylindrical objects; counter for films, TV shows, etc.; counter for goals, home runs, etc.; counter for telephone calls

Word family

おたまじゃくし
ladle · tadpole · musical note

Written forms

おたまUsage52%
Usually written in kana; the kanji spelling お玉 is also used but less common.
オタマUsage41%
お玉たまUsage8%
Kanji spelling; less common than kana.

Etymology

Abbreviation of お玉杓子 (otamajakushi, 'ladle'). The egg sense is a separate, rare usage possibly derived from 玉 (tama, 'ball, egg') with honorific prefix お.