A figure placed in fields to scare away birds and animals. The most common and literal meaning.
We set up a scarecrow in the rice field.
A person who holds a position but has no real power or is used as a front. Figurative extension of the scarecrow meaning.
かかしには古い服を着せることが多い。
Scarecrows are often dressed in old clothes.
He's the company president, but in reality he's just a figurehead.
案山子 specifically means a human-shaped scarecrow, while 脅し (bird-scaring sense) covers any device—scarecrow, noise gun, reflective tape—used to frighten off birds.
The word is usually written in kana. This is the most common and recommended spelling.
Kanji form, but rarely used in practice. The reading かかし is the most common for this kanji.
Katakana spelling, sometimes used for stylistic effect or in contexts like character names.
Rarely used kanji form. The reading かかし is the most common for this kanji.
The origin is uncertain. One theory suggests it comes from 嗅がし (kagashi), meaning 'something that smells', referring to the practice of burning fish or other smelly items to repel animals. The reading かかし is a sound shift from かがし.