箱はこ

noun

train car; railway car

A specialized extension referring to a car or carriage of a train or similar vehicle. In ordinary everyday speech, 車両 is the safer standard word.

• 鉄てつ道どうの現げん場ばでは、一いち両りょうの車しゃ両りょうを「箱はこ」と呼よぶことがある。

  In railway work, a single car may be called a hako.

noun

shamisen case; shamisen

A limited traditional-entertainment use: 箱 can refer to a shamisen case, and by extension to the shamisen itself. This is not the normal everyday word for a shamisen.

• 花か柳りゅう界かいでは、三味線しゃみせんやそのケースを「箱はこ」と呼よぶことがある。

  In the geisha entertainment world, a shamisen or its case may be called a hako.

noun

public building; community building

Colloquial and often written ハコ. Commonly has a slightly critical nuance when talking about public or community buildings as physical facilities, especially costly construction projects.

See also: 箱物

• 新あたらしいハコを建たてるより、今いまある施し設せつを活かつ用ようしたい。

  Rather than building a new public facility, we want to make use of the facilities we already have.

• あの町まちは立りっ派ぱなハコばかり作つくっている。

  That town keeps building impressive public facilities and little else.

noun

man who carried a geisha's shamisen

Archaic geisha-district usage for a man whose job was to carry a geisha's shamisen. The related word 箱屋 names this occupation more explicitly.

See also: 箱屋

• 古ふるい花か柳りゅう界かいの記き録ろくでは、芸げい者しゃの三味線しゃみせんを運はこぶ男おとこを「箱はこ」と呼よぶことがある。

  In old records of the geisha world, a man who carried a geisha's shamisen may be called a hako.

noun

waste receptacle; feces

Archaic use referring either to a receptacle for human waste or to feces itself. This is not a normal modern everyday use of 箱.

• 古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、「箱はこ」が便べん器きや糞ふん便べんを指さすことがある。

  In old texts, hako can refer to a toilet receptacle or to feces.

suffix, counter

counter for boxes; counter for boxed items

Used after numbers as a suffix or counter for boxes or quantities packaged in boxes.

• みかんを三さん箱ばこ注ちゅう文もんした。

  I ordered three boxes of mandarin oranges.

• 薬くすりを一ひと箱はこ買かっておいた。

  I bought one box of medicine in advance.