炭(すみ)

すみ

noun

charcoal

daily-life cooking

See also: 墨(すみ) (ink)

1. charcoal

A black porous material made by heating wood in a low-oxygen environment. Used as fuel for grilling, heating, and in traditional Japanese arts.

炭(すみ)で肉(にく)を焼(や)く。

To grill meat over charcoal.

炭(すみ)を火(ひ)おこし器(き)で起(お)こす。

To light charcoal with a fire starter.

備長炭(びんちょうたん)は高品質(こうひんしつ)の炭(すみ)として、料理(りょうり)店(てん)で広(ひろ)く使(つか)われている。

Binchotan is widely used in restaurants as a high-quality charcoal.

Usage

Not to be confused with homophones 墨(すみ) (ink) and 隅(すみ) (corner). 炭(すみ) specifically refers to charcoal used for fuel.

Common collocations

炭(すみ)を起(お)こす: to light charcoal
炭火(すみび): charcoal fire
炭焼(すみや)き: charcoal grilling; charcoal making
備長炭(びんちょうたん): binchotan (high-grade Japanese charcoal)
木炭(もくたん): wood charcoal

Cultural note

Charcoal has a long history in Japan, used in tea ceremony (炭手前(すみてまえ)), traditional heating (火鉢(ひばち)), and yakitori grilling.

Related Words

Homophone: 墨(すみ) (ink)

Homophone: 隅(すみ) (corner)

Related: 炭酸(たんさん) (carbonation)

Synonym: 木炭(もくたん) (charcoal (formal/technical))

Compare: 燃(も)え殻(がら) (cinders)

general

Added 2026.2.24 20:04 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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