石工
ishiku[iɕikɯ̟]
The Japanese word for mason is 石工 (ishiku).
石工 refers to the profession of masonry. It is a somewhat formal or technical term used in historical or specific occupational contexts.
Meaning: one who builds with stone or brick (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
ishiku
Did you know?
- Ancient Japanese masonry developed a specialized 'curved' wall style called 扇の勾配 (ōgi no kōbai), which resembles a folding fan.
- The kanji 工 used in 石工 is also the root for the word 'engineering' in Japanese, 工学 (kōgaku).
- While 石工 is the technical term, a person who works with stone might also be called 石屋 (ishiya) in a more colloquial sense, which translates literally to 'stone shop'.
Examples in context
- 彼は一流の石工です。He is a top-notch mason.
- その建物のために石工が必要です。We need a mason for that building.
- 私のおじいちゃんは職人で、石工の仕事をしています。My grandfather is a craftsman and works as a mason.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Yamato are looking at an old stone bridge.
- 陽葵 Himariこの橋の造りは本当に素晴らしいね。Kono hashi no tsukuri wa hontou ni subarashii ne.The construction of this bridge is truly wonderful.
- 大翔 Hiroto昔の石工はすごい技術を持っていたんだよ。Mukashi no ishikou wa sugoi gijutsu o motte itanda yo.The masons of the past had amazing skills.
- 陽葵 Himari石だけでこんなに綺麗に組めるの？Ishi dake de konna ni kirei ni kumeru no?Can they assemble it this beautifully using only stone?
- 大翔 Hirotoああ、それが石工の仕事なんだ。Aa, sore ga ishikou no shigoto nanda.Yes, that is the work of a mason.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mason” translations and entries 石工, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
