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管 (くだ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N3 Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Meanings 1
noun
pipe ; tube
General term for a hollow cylindrical conduit, often used for water, gas, or structural tubing.
Written forms 管くだ Usage 79%
Standard kanji spelling for pipe/tube; also used for the bobbin sense.
くだ Usage 14%
Kana spelling is sometimes used, especially in contexts where the kanji might be confused with other readings (e.g., 管 read かん).
クダ Usage 7%
noun
bobbin ; spool
Specifically the bobbin used in a shuttle or spinning wheel; a somewhat specialized term.
pipe, tube, wind instrument
Similar words パイプ Loanword from English, often used for smoking pipes or plumbing pipes in modern contexts; 管 is the native Japanese term and feels more traditional or technical.
チューブ Loanword from English, used for flexible tubes (e.g., toothpaste tube, inner tube); 管 is more rigid and cylindrical.
Etymology The historical derivation is uncertain; the kanji 管 is conventionally associated with the meaning 'pipe' or 'tube'.
