くじ

くじ refers to any method of random selection — lotteries, raffles, and fortune drawings at shrines. It can mean both the act of drawing and the ticket or slip itself.

Writing

Sometimes written as 籤(くじ), but the hiragana form is far more common.

Common collocations

• くじを引(ひ)く: to draw a lot
• くじ引(び)き: drawing lots, lottery
• くじに当(あ)たる: to win a lottery
• くじに外(はず)れる: to lose in a lottery
• くじ運(うん): luck in lotteries

Related words

• おみくじ: fortune slip drawn at a shrine
• 宝(たから)くじ: lottery (for money prizes)
• 福引(ふくびき): lucky draw, raffle

Cultural note

Drawing lots (くじ引(び)き) is commonly used in Japan to make fair decisions — assigning classroom seats, deciding event roles, or settling disputes among equals.