also: うすばほうちょう
thin-bladed vegetable knife; usuba bocho
A traditional Japanese kitchen knife with a thin, rectangular blade, primarily used for cutting vegetables. Often referred to by its Japanese name, usuba bocho, in culinary contexts.
薄刃包丁は野菜の皮むきや飾り切りに適している。
The usuba bocho is suitable for peeling vegetables and making decorative cuts.
料理人は薄刃包丁で大根を薄く切った。
The chef thinly sliced the daikon radish with an usuba bocho.
Standard kanji spelling for this specialized kitchen knife.
Alternate reading うすばほうちょう is less common; the standard reading is うすばぼうちょう.
Compound of 薄刃 (usuba, 'thin blade') and 包丁 (hōchō, 'kitchen knife'). The reading うすばぼうちょう reflects rendaku voicing of ほうちょう to ぼうちょう.