墨(すみ)

すみ
noun
ink, India ink, sumi
See also: 炭(すみ) (charcoal)
1. ink, India ink
Black ink made from soot, used in calligraphy and painting.
墨(すみ)を摺(す)る。
To grind ink (on an inkstone).
墨(すみ)で字(じ)を書(か)く。
To write characters with ink.
書道(しょどう)の時間(じかん)に墨(すみ)を摺(す)って筆(ふで)で書(か)いた。
During calligraphy class, I ground ink and wrote with a brush.

墨(すみ) is traditional East Asian ink, made from soot and used for calligraphy and painting.

TRADITIONAL USAGE:
Traditional 墨(すみ) comes in solid sticks that are ground on an inkstone (硯(すずり)) with water. This process is called 墨(すみ)を摺(す)る.

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 墨汁(ぼくじゅう): liquid ink (pre-made)
  • 水墨画(すいぼくが): ink wash painting
  • 墨絵(すみえ): ink painting
  • 墨書(ぼくしょ): writing in ink

RELATED:

  • 硯(すずり): inkstone
  • 筆(ふで): brush
  • 書道(しょどう): calligraphy
general
Added 2026.1.9 21:27 · Revised 2026.3.25 23:55
02000/02155_sumi