1.
incense
A substance that produces a pleasant aroma when burned, used in religious ceremonies, meditation, and traditional Japanese culture.
香を焚く。
To burn incense.
仏壇の前で香を焚いた。
I burned incense in front of the Buddhist altar.
寺に入ると、香の煙がゆっくりと漂っていた。
When I entered the temple, incense smoke was slowly drifting through the air.
2.
fragrance; scent; aroma
A pleasant smell, especially from natural sources such as flowers, herbs, or wood.
花の香がする。
There is a floral fragrance.
白檀の香が部屋に広がった。
The fragrance of sandalwood spread through the room.
梅の香に誘われて、庭に出た。
Drawn by the scent of plum blossoms, I went out into the garden.
USAGE:
Sense 1 refers to the physical incense product and the act of burning it. Sense 2 is a literary or refined way to refer to pleasant scents, especially from nature. In everyday conversation, 匂い or 香り is more common for general smells and fragrances.
CULTURE:
香道 (the way of incense) is one of the three classical Japanese arts of refinement, alongside 茶道 (tea ceremony) and 華道 (flower arrangement).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 香を焚く (to burn incense)
- 香の煙 (incense smoke)
- 線香 (incense stick)
- 香道 (the art of incense appreciation)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 香り: fragrance, aroma — the more common everyday word for pleasant scents
- 匂い: smell, scent — neutral term for any smell, pleasant or not