pillow

About this kanji

The kanji 「枕」 (まくら) primarily means "pillow" and is used mostly as a noun. It refers to the cushion you place your head on while sleeping. There are several interesting compounds with this kanji. For instance, 「枕絵」 (まくらえ) means "erotic picture," while 「枕詞」 (まくらことば) refers to a "pillow word," which is a poetic device used in Japanese poetry. Another example is 「仮枕」 (かりまくら), meaning "nap." It's worth noting that this kanji often appears in contexts related to rest, sleep, or dreams, reflecting its essential role in a good night's sleep.

Example sentences

• 新しい枕で寝やすくなった。

  I can sleep better with the new pillow.

Meanings across languages

English

pillow

Tiếng Việt

gối

日本語

枕

한국어

베개

中文

枕头

id

bantal

th

หมอน

es

almohada

fr

oreiller

de

Kissen

pt

travesseiro

Common compounds

• 枕絵まくらえerotic picture
• 枕詞まくらことばpillow word, decorative word used prefixally in classical Japanese literature, preface
• 仮枕かりまくらnap
• 歌枕うたまくらplace that is often written about in waka poetry, oft-repeated descriptive epithets in poetry
• 独枕ひとりまくらlonely in bed
• 氷枕こおりまくらcooling pillow (often rubber)
• 北枕きたまくらlying with one's head to the north (trad. position for dead bodies; taboo for sleeping), brown-lined puffer (Canthigaster rivulata)
• 枕辺まくらべbedside