熊手(くまで)

くまで
noun
rake; lucky charm rake
toolculture
1. rake
A garden tool with prongs used for gathering leaves or loosening soil. Named for its resemblance to a bear's paw (熊(くま)の手(て)).
熊手(くまで)で落(お)ち葉(ば)を集(あつ)める。
To gather fallen leaves with a rake.
庭(にわ)の手入(てい)れに熊手(くまで)が必要(ひつよう)だ。
A rake is needed for garden maintenance.
秋(あき)になると公園(こうえん)で熊手(くまで)を使(つか)って落(お)ち葉(ば)を掃除(そうじ)する人(ひと)をよく見(み)かける。
In autumn, you often see people cleaning up fallen leaves with rakes in the park.
2. lucky charm rake, ornamental rake
A decorated bamboo rake sold at Tori-no-Ichi festivals as a good-luck charm for business prosperity. The prongs symbolize raking in good fortune and wealth.
酉(とり)の市(いち)で熊手(くまで)を買(か)った。
I bought a lucky charm rake at the Tori-no-Ichi festival.
商売(しょうばい)繁盛(はんじょう)を願(ねが)って熊手(くまで)を飾(かざ)る。
We display a lucky rake to pray for business prosperity.
毎年(まいとし)少(すこ)しずつ大(おお)きな熊手(くまで)を買(か)うのが縁起(えんぎ)がいいとされている。
It is considered auspicious to buy a slightly larger lucky rake each year.

Cultural note

The ornamental 熊手(くまで) (sense 2) is a signature item of 酉(とり)の市(いち) (Tori-no-Ichi), a festival held at shrines in November. Lavishly decorated with lucky symbols — treasure ships, coins, 招(まね)き猫(ねこ) — these rakes symbolize "raking in" good fortune and prosperity. Businesses and shop owners traditionally buy them to ensure a successful coming year. By custom, buyers start small and purchase progressively larger 熊手(くまで) each year.

The word literally means "bear's hand" (熊(くま) + 手(て)), describing the claw-like shape of the prongs.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.25 22:34 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
13500/13513_kumade