spit, skewer

About this kanji

The kanji 串, pronounced as "kushi" in its kun'yomi or "kan" in on'yomi, primarily means "spit" or "skewer". It is frequently used as a noun to refer to the thin rod used for cooking food, like kebabs. One common compound is 竹串 (たけぐし), meaning "bamboo skewer," which is often used for grilling. Another example is 串柿 (くしがき), referring to dried persimmons skewered for presentation or preservation. Additionally, you might encounter 玉串 (たまぐし), a branch used in rituals. This kanji reveals the importance of skewering in Japanese cuisine and culture, reflecting how food is often presented and shared.

Example sentences

• 焼き鳥の串を注文した。

  I ordered skewers of grilled chicken.

Meanings across languages

English

spit, skewer

Tiếng Việt

xiên, chỉ kẹp

日本語

串, 串刺し

한국어

꼬치, 꽂다

中文

串, 串插

id

tusuk, sate

th

ไม้เสียบ, เสียบ

es

espeto, pincho

fr

brochette, piquant

de

Spieß, Spießchen

pt

espetinho, espetar

Common compounds

• 竹串たけぐしbamboo skewer
• 串柿くしがきdried persimmons on a skewer
• 玉串たまぐしbranch of a sacred tree (esp. sakaki) with paper or cotton strips attached (used as an offering), sakaki (species of evergreen sacred to Shinto, Cleyera japonica)
• 金串かなぐしmetal spit, metal skewer
• 幣串へいぐしstaff to which shide are attached to make a go-hei
• 祓串はらえぐしtamagushi used at Ise Shrine's purification ceremonies
• 目串めぐしsuspicions, guess
• 牛串ぎゅうくしskewered beef