櫓ろ

ろ

Meanings

1

Japanese scull; traditional oar

A single oar attached to the stern of a traditional Japanese boat, pivoted in a peg-in-hole oarlock. Used for propulsion and steering.

漁りょう師しは櫓ろを漕こいで舟ふねを進すすめた。
The fisherman sculled the boat forward with the ro.
この和わ船せんの櫓ろはとても長ながい。
The ro of this traditional Japanese boat is very long.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を漕こぐto row a boat using a scull
船せん頭どうが櫓ろを漕こいで川かわを渡わたった。
The boatman rowed across the river using the scull.
〈物もの〉を操あやつるto skillfully handle/manipulate the scull
漁りょう師しは長なが年ねんの経けい験けんで櫓ろを上手じょうずに操あやつる。
The fisherman skillfully handles the scull thanks to years of experience.

Kanji

櫓oar, tower
艪oar, tower

Related words

櫂かい
櫓 is a single oar fixed in a stern oarlock and moved in a figure-eight sculling motion, while 櫂 is a free-held paddle used for simple paddling strokes.
オール
オール refers to a Western-style oar typically used in pairs and pulled with both hands, whereas 櫓 is a single traditional Japanese sculling oar attached at the stern.

Don't confuse with

櫂かい
櫓 is a larger sculling oar mounted on the stern and worked with a twisting wrist motion, whereas 櫂 is a handheld paddle used for direct strokes.

Counted with

丁ちょう
櫓 (ろ, an oar) is long and slender, so it is traditionally counted with 丁.

Word family

櫓ろ杭ぐい
fulcrum peg; oarlock pin
櫓ろ櫂かい
sculls and paddles
櫓ろ臍べそ
fulcrum peg (of a traditional oarlock)

Written forms

櫓ろUsage1%
Standard kanji for a traditional Japanese scull.
ろUsage95%
Kana spelling is practical in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
艪ろUsage3%
Variant kanji; less common but still used.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain; the word is native Japanese and has been used for centuries to refer to the traditional sculling oar.