noun
Rare term referring specifically to bricks used in traditional Chinese-style architecture, as opposed to modern Western-style bricks (煉瓦).
See also: 煉瓦 (れんが)
この寺院の壁には古い磚が使われている。
Old Chinese-style bricks are used in the walls of this temple.
煉瓦 is the common word for modern Western-style bricks, while 磚 is a rare term for traditional Chinese-style bricks.
The kanji 磚, 塼, and 甎 are all rare characters historically used to refer to bricks or tiles in Chinese contexts. The reading せん is the on'yomi. The exact derivation is uncertain, but the term is associated with traditional Chinese architecture.