Japanese word

棟

Pronunciation

Romajimune

Meaning

  • nounridge

Example

屋根の棟を修理します。ya ne no mune o shū ri shi ma su

I'll repair the ridge of the roof.

Illustration for 棟 (ridge)

More examples

古い家の棟に新しい瓦を取り付けています。furu i ie no mune ni atara shi i kawara o to ri tsu ke te i ma su

They are fitting new tiles along the ridge of the old house.

Core concept

Marks a structure's central ridge or its clearly bounded building unit, linking the top of a roof with a building treated as one section.

Common phrases

  • 棟を上げるmune o a ge ru

    raise the roof ridge

Definition in Japanese

屋根の斜面が合わさる高い線、または独立した一つの建物や建物の区画。ya ne no sha men ga a wa sa ru taka i sen ma ta wa doku ritsu shi ta hito tsu no tate mono ya tate mono no ku kaku

Word origin

棟 (mune, "ridge; building unit") is a native Japanese noun; the sense of a building or building section is a semantic extension from the roof ridge belonging to that structure.

Usage tips

  • In descriptions of apartment complexes and other sites, 棟 (mune) distinguishes one separate building from another, rather than naming a room or floor.

Other meanings

  • buildingnoun

Word lists with this word