1.
axis; shaft; axle
A rod or line around which something rotates, or a central line used as a reference in geometry or graphs.
グラフのX軸を見てください。
Please look at the X-axis of the graph.
車輪の軸がずれている。
The wheel's axle is misaligned.
この地図は東西を軸にして描かれている。
This map is drawn with the east-west direction as its axis.
2.
core; central focus; backbone
The central element or guiding principle around which other things are organized.
環境問題を軸に議論した。
We discussed the issue with environmental concerns as the central focus.
彼女がチームの軸になっている。
She is the backbone of the team.
自分の中にしっかりとした軸を持つことが大切だ。
It is important to have a firm core within yourself.
3.
hanging scroll
A mounted calligraphy or painting scroll, short for 掛け軸.
床の間に軸を掛ける。
To hang a scroll in the tokonoma alcove.
季節に合わせて軸を替えている。
I change the hanging scroll to match the season.
祖父が書いた書道の軸が家宝として大切に保管されている。
A calligraphy scroll written by my grandfather is carefully kept as a family heirloom.
A versatile word used across mechanical, abstract, and traditional arts contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- X軸・Y軸 (X-axis, Y-axis)
- 軸がぶれる (to lose one's focus/direction)
- 軸を持つ (to have a core/backbone)
- 掛け軸 (hanging scroll)
Sense 2 is especially common in self-help and business language, where having a 軸 means having clear principles. Not to be confused with 字句 (wording, phrasing), which is a homophone.