窯(かま)

かま
noun
kiln
tool
1. kiln, furnace for firing ceramics
A high-temperature oven or furnace used for firing pottery, ceramics, bricks, or charcoal. Central to traditional Japanese pottery culture.
窯(かま)で焼(や)いた茶碗(ちゃわん)。
A tea bowl fired in a kiln.
この窯(かま)は三百年(さんびゃくねん)の歴史(れきし)がある。
This kiln has a history of three hundred years.
陶芸家(とうげいか)は窯(かま)の温度(おんど)を慎重(しんちょう)に管理(かんり)している。
The potter carefully controls the kiln temperature.

Usage

窯(かま) specifically refers to a kiln for firing ceramics, bricks, or producing charcoal. Do not confuse with the homophone 釜(かま) (cooking pot, kettle), which is a kitchen vessel.

Common collocations

  • 窯(かま)で焼(や)く: to fire in a kiln
  • 窯(かま)を開(ひら)く: to open a kiln (after firing)
  • 登(のぼ)り窯(がま): climbing kiln (traditional multi-chamber kiln built on a slope)
  • 窯元(かまもと): pottery workshop, kiln site
  • 窯(かま)出(だ)し: removing pieces from the kiln after firing

Writing

The kanji 窯(かま) contains the 穴(あな) (hole) radical at the top, reflecting the kiln's structure. The bottom component 羊(ひつじ) + 火(ひ) suggests heating inside an enclosed space.

Related Words

Related: 釉薬(ゆうやく) (glaze (ceramics))
general
Added 2026.2.27 12:10 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
13500/13764_kama