Japanese word

物差し

Pronunciation

Romajimonosashi

Meaning

  • nounruler

Example

この物差しで線を引きます。ko no mono sa shi de sen o hi ki ma su

I draw a line with this ruler.

Illustration for 物差し (ruler)

More examples

この箱の長さを物差しで測ります。ko no bako no naga sa o mono sa shi de haka ri ma su

I measure the length of this box with a ruler.

Core concept

It uses a scaled edge as a stable guide for measuring distance and drawing straight lines.

Common phrases

  • 物差しで測るmono sa shi de haka ru

    measure with a ruler

  • 物差しを使うmono sa shi o tsuka u

    use a ruler

Similar words

定規jōgi: A flat tool with a straight edge for drawing lines and measuring distances.
スケールsukēru: A tool with marked divisions for measuring length, especially in technical work.

Definition in Japanese

長さの目盛りが付いた細長い道具で、物の長さを測ったり、線をまっすぐ引いたりするもの。naga sa no me mo ri ga tsu i ta hoso naga i dō gu de mono no naga sa o haka tta ri sen o ma ssu gu hi i ta ri su ru mo no

Word origin

物差し (monosashi) is a native compound of 物 (mono, "thing") and 差し (sashi, "placing against"), based on placing the tool against an object to compare its length.

Usage tips

  • The English word ruler has both a measuring-tool sense and a governing-person sense, and nearby words such as inches or centimeters usually signal the former.

Other meanings

  • measurenoun

Word lists with this word