noun
A physical tool with a mesh used to separate fine particles from coarse ones or to strain liquids.
See also: 篩に掛ける
小麦粉をふるいにかけてダマをなくす。
Sift the flour to remove lumps.
noun
screening; selection process
Metaphorical use: the process of evaluating and filtering people or things, often in hiring or candidate selection. Commonly appears in the phrase ふるいにかける.
See also: 篩に掛ける
応募者をふるいにかけて、面接に進む人を決める。
We screen the applicants and decide who proceeds to the interview.
A common set phrase meaning 'to sift' or 'to screen'. The noun ふるい is often used with にかける to express the action.
The word is native Japanese. The kanji 篩 is a Chinese character meaning 'sieve', but the Japanese reading ふるい is not derived from it; the exact origin of ふるい is uncertain.