noun, counter
A metal container for food, drinks, etc. Also used as a counter for cans.
from Dutch kan · from English can
缶を開けて、中身を皿に出してください。
Open the can and put the contents on a plate.
ビールを３缶買った。
I bought three cans of beer.
noun
canned food
Abbreviation of 缶詰. Refers to the food itself, not the container.
See also: 缶詰
非常食として缶を備蓄している。
We stockpile canned food as emergency rations.
Outdated kanji form; not used in modern Japanese.
Outdated kanji form; not used in modern Japanese.
缶詰 specifically means 'canned food' or 'being confined'. 缶 alone can mean the container or, as an abbreviation, the food itself.
Borrowed from Dutch 'kan' or English 'can'. The kanji 缶 is an ateji (phonetic equivalent) and is now the standard spelling.