燻す

• Reading: いぶす
• Romaji: ibusu
• Kanji breakdown: 燻 (kun/ibu) — to smoke, to smoulder
• Pronunciation: /i.bɯ.sɯ/

Meaning

To smoke; to fumigate; to expose to smoke; to smoulder. Used for smoking food, repelling insects with smoke, or burning something slowly.

A Group 1 (godan) verb. Used literally for food smoking and fumigation. The related compound いぶし銀 (smoked silver) describes someone of understated, mature excellence — a culturally resonant compliment. The passive いぶされる can mean figuratively 'tested and refined by hardship.'

Examples

1. チップを使って鮭を丁寧に燻した後、薄く切って盛り付けた。 After carefully smoking the salmon over wood chips, it was sliced thin and plated.
2. 古い民家では蚊を燻して追い払う習慣があった。 In old farmhouses, there was a custom of smoking out mosquitoes to drive them away.
3. 燻したような独特の香りが、この料理の魅力だ。 The distinctive smoky aroma is what makes this dish so appealing.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, food preservation, traditional practices

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 燻 (kun) combines 火 (fire) with a phonetic element suggesting smouldering. It entered culinary and agricultural use to describe the controlled application of smoke.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Rural/Traditional