米俵
komedawara
The English phrase 'bag of rice' can be translated into Japanese as 米俵 (komedawara).
The term 米俵 refers specifically to a traditional straw bale used for storing and transporting rice. It is not used to describe modern rice packaging made of plastic or cloth.
How do you pronounce it?
komedawara
Did you know?
- The word 俵 (tawara) is used in the Japanese wrestling style called sumo to describe the straw rings that mark the boundaries of the fighting circle.
- Some Japanese surnames are derived from 俵, suggesting that the ancestor's family once specialized in making these straw bales.
- In historical Japanese contexts, the size and number of these 米俵 were used to determine a person's social status and wealth. Taxes were often paid directly in these specific straw bales rather than in currency.
Examples in context
- 私は米俵をかつぐ。I carry a bag of rice.This sentence is useful for describing the act of carrying the 米俵.Tatoeba #4252752 by orcrist, translation #4253066 by orcrist
- 米俵をかつぐTo carry a rice bale on one's shoulder
- 古い米俵が倉庫にある。Furui komedawara ga sōko ni aru.There is an old rice bale in the warehouse.
- 彼は米俵を運び出した。Kare wa komedawara o hakobidashita.He carried out the rice bale.
Example conversation
At a traditional Japanese farmhouse, two people are looking at old tools.
- 大翔 Hirotoこれは何の道具ですか？Kore wa nan no dōgu desu ka?What kind of tool is this?
- 美咲 Misakiそれは米俵ですよ。Sore wa komedawara desu yo.That is a rice bale.
- 大翔 Hirotoとても重そうですね。Totemo omosō desu ne.It looks very heavy.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さん、これを見て。Hiroto-san, kore o mite.Hiroto, look at this.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
