General word for a table or desk. Often used in compounds like 食卓 (dining table) or 勉強卓 (study desk).
Everyone sat down at the table and began the meal.
A large table is placed in the meeting room.
He sat at the desk and wrote a letter.
counter for tables, desks, etc.
Only with reading たく
Used to count tables, desks, and similar flat furniture. Reading is たく.
There are thirty desks in this classroom.
offering table (Buddhist altar); tea ceremony table
Only with reading しょく
Buddhist term for a small table used to place offerings before an altar. Also used in tea ceremony contexts. Reading is しょく.
I placed an offering table in front of the Buddhist altar and offered flowers.
tabletop incense burner
Only with reading しょく
Abbreviation of 卓香炉. Rare, specialized term. Reading is しょく.
See also: 卓香炉
卓香炉 is sometimes abbreviated as しょく.
He angrily pounded the table.
Ten tables had been set up in the venue.
机 is the everyday word for a desk (often with drawers), while 卓 is a broader, more formal term covering any table or flat surface, common in compounds like 食卓.
テーブル is the casual loanword for a table used in everyday speech, whereas 卓 sounds more formal or literary and appears mainly in set compounds.
Standard kanji spelling for table/desk and the counter sense.
The kanji 卓 depicts a tall table or stand. The reading たく is the standard Sino-Japanese on'yomi, while しょく is a less common variant used in Buddhist and specialized contexts.
table; desk
outstanding; brilliant; superb
desk use; table use
prominent; standing out; preeminent
excellent literary work; outstanding writing
excellence; preeminence; surpassing quality
excellent idea; great insight; clearsightedness
excellent opinion; brilliant argument