残り火
nokoribi
The English phrase "ember" can be translated into Japanese as 残り火 (nokoribi) or 種火.
Meaning: glowing piece of coal or wood (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 残り火 | nokoribi |
| 種火 | tanebi |
What does it mean word for word?
The word 残り火 is composed of 残り (remainder/leftover) and 火 (fire).
Which one should you use?
残り火 refers to the embers left over after a fire has burned down. In contrast, 種火 is described as a "seed fire," meaning it refers specifically to a small ember or flame used to start a larger fire.
How do you pronounce it?
nokoribi
Did you know?
- While 残り火 refers to the dying embers, the Japanese language often uses the term 火種 (fire seed) as a metaphor for the root cause of a dispute or a potential conflict.
- In traditional Japanese kitchens, the 種火 was physically carried from house to house using a specialized portable brazier if a neighbor's fire went out.
- The word 種火 uses the character for 'seed' 種, reflecting a traditional view of fire as something that can be planted and grown. This treats a small ember as a biological spark rather than just a chemical reaction.
Examples in context
- キャンプファイアの最後の残り火を使って焼きマシュマロを楽しんだ。We enjoyed roasting marshmallows using the last embers of the campfire.
- 残り火がまだ赤いです。Nokoribi ga mada akai desu.The embers are still red.
- 焚き火の残り火を眺める。Takibi no nokoribi o nagameru.Gaze at the embers of the bonfire.
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are cleaning up after a campfire.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵、残り火があるから気をつけて。Himari, nokoribi ga aru kara ki o tsukete.Himari, be careful because there are still embers.
- 陽葵 Himariあ、本当だ。まだ熱いね。A, hontō da. Mada atsui ne.Oh, you're right. It's still hot.
- 陽太 Yota水をかけて消そう。Mizu o kakete kesō.Let's pour water on them to put them out.
- 陽葵 Himariそうだね。そうしよう。Sō da ne. Sō shiyō.Good idea. Let's do that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ember” translations and entries 種火, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
