also: せいろう
noun
steaming basket; bamboo steamer
A wooden or bamboo frame with a reed base, placed over a pot to steam food. The square version is sometimes called 井籠.
せいろで温めたシュウマイは格別だ。
Shumai warmed in a bamboo steamer is exceptional.
母はせいろを使って野菜を蒸す。
My mother steams vegetables using a steaming basket.
noun
wickerwork tray for soba
A small wickerwork tray on which soba noodles are served, often called せいろそば.
せいろに盛られたそばは見た目にも涼しげだ。
Soba served on a wickerwork tray looks refreshing.
せいろそばを注文した。
I ordered soba served on a wickerwork tray.
Kanji spelling; 蒸 means 'steam' and 籠 means 'basket'.
Variant kanji spelling using 篭 (simplified form of 籠).
Alternate reading; less common than せいろ.
Irregular kanji usage; specifically refers to a square basket.
Irregular kanji usage; variant of 井籠.
The reading せいろ is a contraction of せいろう. The kanji 蒸籠 literally means 'steam basket'. The alternate forms with 井 are ateji for a square basket.