also: げいしゅ · げいす
whalebone; baleen
Refers to the keratinous plates in the mouths of baleen whales, used historically for corset stays, umbrella ribs, and other flexible structures.
Whalebone was used in corsets in the old days.
Before plastic became common, baleen was used in various products.
Rare kanji spelling; the reading げいしゅ or げいす may also be associated with this form, but くじらひげ is the most common reading.
Sino-Japanese reading of 鯨鬚; rarely used in modern Japanese.
Alternate Sino-Japanese reading; even less common than げいしゅ.
Compound of 鯨 (くじら, 'whale') and ひげ ('beard, whiskers'), from the resemblance of baleen plates to a whale's mustache. The Sino-Japanese readings げいしゅ and げいす are based on the on'yomi of the kanji.