Kanji 鳶 black kite, fireman, hook 工 craft, construction, katakana e radical (no. 48) Related words 鳶とび 鳶 alone can refer to a kite (bird) or a firefighter's ladder, but 鳶工 specifically means a scaffolding worker.
足あし 場ば 工こう 足場工 is a more general term for a scaffolder, while 鳶工 often implies traditional Japanese scaffolding techniques.
Written forms 鳶とび 工こう
Standard kanji spelling for a scaffolding worker or rigger.
とび 工こう
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; common in practical contexts.
Etymology Compound of 鳶 (tobi, 'kite' or 'traditional firefighter/construction worker') and 工 (kō, 'worker'). The term reflects the historical connection between firefighters and high-altitude construction work.
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