流し
Meanings
sink; kitchen sink
Refers to a sink, especially in a kitchen or utility area. The word is derived from the verb 流す (to let flow), as water flows through it.
Please leave the dishes in the sink.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Used for taxis cruising for passengers, or entertainers/musicians strolling from place to place. Often appears as 流しのタクシー or 流しの歌手.
I caught a cruising taxi in front of the station.
When he was young, he traveled around the country as a strolling guitarist.
washing area; bathroom washing space
In a Japanese-style bath, the area outside the bathtub where you sit and wash your body before entering the bath. Also called 洗い場.
Please wash your body at the washing area before getting into the bathtub.
back-washing service
A service in old public baths where an attendant would wash customers' backs. Now mostly historical or nostalgic.
In old public baths, there was a back-washing service called 流し.
floating; setting adrift; washing away
Refers to the act of floating something on water, setting it adrift, or washing it away. Often used in compound verbs like 流し流す or in set phrases such as 灯籠流し (floating lanterns).
Floating lanterns is a Bon festival event.
The bridge was washed away by the heavy rain.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉を流しに置くto put something in the sink
I put the used dishes in the sink.
- 流しのタクシーa taxi cruising for passengers
Since it was late at night, I hailed a passing taxi.
- 流しが詰まるfor the sink to get clogged
The sink is clogged and the water won't drain.
- 流しの〈人〉an itinerant performer who strolls around soliciting work
A strolling singer was performing in the shopping arcade.