also: はざ · はせ · はぜ · とうか
rice-drying rack; drying rice on a rack
Traditional agricultural implement: a wooden rack or frame on which harvested rice sheaves are hung to dry. Also refers to the process of drying rice this way. The word is regionally known and may be encountered in rural contexts or historical descriptions.
See also: 稲掛け
In autumn, rice-drying racks are set up beside the paddies.
In the old days, harvested rice was hung on racks to dry.
Standard kanji spelling for the rice-drying rack; the reading はさ is the most common.
Kana spelling is practical when the kanji is obscure or the reading is emphasized.
Alternate reading; less common than はさ.
Rare alternate reading.
Rare alternate reading.
Rare alternate reading; possibly dialectal or historical.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 稲 (rice plant) and 架 (rack, frame) directly describe the object. The reading はさ may be a native Japanese word for a drying rack, with variants はざ, はせ, はぜ reflecting dialectal or historical sound changes.