柱ちゅう

also: じ

Meanings

noun, noun, used as a suffix

Refers to the movable bridge of a koto or similar stringed instrument; also used as a suffix in compound terms like 琴柱 (ことじ).

琴ことの柱じを動うごかして調ちょう弦げんする。
I tune the koto by moving its bridges.
この柱じは象ぞう牙げでできている。
This bridge is made of ivory.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

cylinder; prism

Only with reading ちゅう

Used in geometry and technical contexts; reading is always ちゅう. Often appears as a suffix in words like 円柱 (cylinder) and 角柱 (prism).

円えん柱ちゅうの体たい積せきを計けい算さんする。
Calculate the volume of the cylinder.
三さん角かく柱ちゅうは五いつつの面めんを持もつ。
A triangular prism has five faces.

Written forms

柱Usage54%
- ちゅう
  Standard kanji spelling for both senses; reading ちゅう is the primary reading for the musical bridge sense and the only reading for the geometric sense.
- じ
  Alternate reading used only for the musical bridge sense; じ is less common than ちゅう.
ちゅうUsage46%
じ

Kanji

柱pillar, post, cylinder

Similar words

駒こま
駒 refers to the bridge of a violin or similar Western string instrument, while 柱 is specifically for traditional Japanese instruments like the koto.
円えん柱ちゅう
円柱 is the full compound for 'cylinder', using 柱 as a suffix; 柱 alone is rarely used for cylinder outside technical abbreviations.

Etymology

The kanji 柱 originally means 'pillar' or 'post'. Its use for a koto bridge likely comes from the visual similarity of the small standing pieces to pillars. The geometric sense is a later extension, probably from the idea of a solid standing shape.

柱ちゅう

also: じ

Meanings

noun, noun, used as a suffix

bridge (of a koto, etc.)

Refers to the movable bridge of a koto or similar stringed instrument; also used as a suffix in compound terms like 琴柱 (ことじ).

琴ことの柱じを動うごかして調ちょう弦げんする。
I tune the koto by moving its bridges.
この柱じは象ぞう牙げでできている。
This bridge is made of ivory.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

cylinder; prism

Only with reading ちゅう

Used in geometry and technical contexts; reading is always ちゅう. Often appears as a suffix in words like 円柱 (cylinder) and 角柱 (prism).

円えん柱ちゅうの体たい積せきを計けい算さんする。
Calculate the volume of the cylinder.
三さん角かく柱ちゅうは五いつつの面めんを持もつ。
A triangular prism has five faces.

Written forms

柱Usage54%
- ちゅう
  Standard kanji spelling for both senses; reading ちゅう is the primary reading for the musical bridge sense and the only reading for the geometric sense.
- じ
  Alternate reading used only for the musical bridge sense; じ is less common than ちゅう.
ちゅうUsage46%
じ

Kanji

柱pillar, post, cylinder

Similar words

駒こま
駒 refers to the bridge of a violin or similar Western string instrument, while 柱 is specifically for traditional Japanese instruments like the koto.
円えん柱ちゅう
円柱 is the full compound for 'cylinder', using 柱 as a suffix; 柱 alone is rarely used for cylinder outside technical abbreviations.