灯籠(とうろう)

とうろう
noun
lantern (stone or paper)
tool
1. lantern (stone or paper)
A traditional lantern, either a stone lantern found in gardens, shrines, and temples, or a paper or wooden lantern used in festivals and Buddhist ceremonies.
庭(にわ)に石(いし)灯籠(どうろう)がある。
There is a stone lantern in the garden.
お盆(ぼん)に灯籠(とうろう)を川(かわ)に流(なが)す行事(ぎょうじ)がある。
There is a custom of floating lanterns on the river during the Obon festival.
神社(じんじゃ)の参道(さんどう)に並(なら)ぶ石(いし)灯籠(どうろう)に火(ひ)が灯(とも)され、幻想的(げんそうてき)な雰囲気(ふんいき)になった。
The stone lanterns lining the shrine approach were lit, creating a magical atmosphere.

Types

  • 石(いし)灯籠(どうろう): stone lantern, a fixture of Japanese gardens and shrine grounds
  • 灯籠(とうろう)流(なが)し: floating paper lanterns on a river, a Buddhist ceremony during Obon to guide spirits of the dead
  • 吊(つ)り灯籠(どうろう): hanging lantern

Writing

Also written 灯篭(とうろう). The character 籠(ろう) (basket/cage) reflects the lantern's structure of enclosing a light source.

Pronunciation

In the compound 石(いし)灯籠(どうろう), the reading changes to どうろう through rendaku (sequential voicing).

Common collocations

Related Words

Related: 狛犬(こまいぬ) (komainu)
Compare: ランタン (lantern)
general
Added 2026.2.24 20:37 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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