cylindrical rice-measuring box
Traditional wooden box used to measure a fixed amount of rice, often in institutional or historical settings.
rice mold; rice-shaping form
A mold or form used to shape cooked rice into a compact cylinder or block, often for serving or packing.
Use a 物相 mold to shape the rice neatly.
single serving of rice (prison food)
Abbreviation of 物相飯; refers to a portion of rice served in prisons, often shaped with the mold. Strongly associated with prison slang.
See also: 物相飯
In old prisons, they measured rice portions with a 物相 box.
The prisoners were made to eat the same 物相 rice every day.
The full term for prison rice; 物相 is the abbreviated form used in slang.
single serving of rice (prison food)
Standard kanji spelling for the measuring box and related senses.
Alternate kanji spelling; less common.
Alternate kanji spelling; less common.
Alternate kanji spelling; less common.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 物 (thing) and 相 (aspect/shape) suggest a container for shaping or measuring things. The reading もっそう may be a sound shift from an older form.