貫
Meanings
kan (old unit of weight, about 3.75 kg)
Historical unit of weight used in Japan until the early 20th century. One kan equals 1000 monme (匁), approximately 3.75 kg or 8.3 lb.
In the Edo period, one bale of rice weighed four kan.
Historical currency unit. In the Edo period, one kan was equivalent to 1000 mon (文). In the early Meiji period, it was briefly redefined as 10 mon.
I heard the goodwill of that shop cost 100 kan.
counter for pieces of sushi
Used in sushi restaurants to count individual pieces of nigiri or maki. One piece is 一貫 (いっかん).
Two pieces of tuna, please.
10 or 12 points (in hanafuda)
In hanafuda, a scoring unit. Depending on the specific game or regional rules, one kan may equal 10 points or 12 points. Often used in expressions like 貫を取る.
In hanafuda, getting the Five Brights gives you ten kan.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉を〈数〉貫食べるto eat a certain number of pieces of sushi
I ate two pieces of tuna sushi.
- 体重が〈数〉貫あるto weigh a certain number of kan
They say he weighs about fifteen kan.
- 貫を取るto score a kan (a scoring unit) in hanafuda
I was able to score a kan with this hand.
Expressions
- 一貫してconsistently; throughout; from start to finish