noun
to; traditional unit of volume (approx. 18 litres)
Historical Japanese unit of volume, roughly 18 litres. Still encountered in traditional contexts such as sake brewing or old recipes.
一斗の酒を仕込む。
Brew one to of sake.
この升は一斗枡です。
This measuring box is a one-to masu.
noun
square bearing block (at the top of a pillar)
Architectural term for the block-shaped bearing piece placed atop a pillar in traditional Japanese wooden construction. Also called 斗形 (とがた).
See also: 斗形
柱の上に斗を据える。
Place a bearing block on top of the pillar.
noun
Chinese "Dipper" constellation (one of the 28 mansions)
In Chinese astronomy, one of the 28 lunar mansions, part of the Black Tortoise (玄武) group. Rare outside historical or astrological contexts.
斗宿は玄武の第一宿である。
The Dipper mansion is the first mansion of the Black Tortoise.
升 is a smaller traditional unit of volume (approx. 1.8 litres), one-tenth of a 斗.
斗形 is a more explicit architectural term for the same bearing block shape.
The kanji 斗 originally depicted a ladle or dipper, and was adopted as a unit of volume in ancient China. The architectural sense derives from the block's resemblance to the shape of the measuring container. The constellation name comes from Chinese astronomy.