枕

• Reading: まくら
• Romaji: makura
• Kanji breakdown: 枕 (makura) — pillow
• Pronunciation: /ma.kɯ.ɾa/

Meaning

Pillow; bolster. A cushion for supporting the head during sleep.

An essential sleeping item. Traditional Japanese pillows (そば殻枕 = buckwheat hull pillow) are harder and smaller than Western pillows. The word also appears in literary contexts — 枕詞 (makura-kotoba) is a rhetorical device in classical Japanese poetry. The expression 枕を高くして寝る means to sleep without worry.

Examples

1. この枕は柔らかくてとても寝やすい。 This pillow is soft and very easy to sleep on.
2. 旅行に自分の枕を持っていく人もいます。 Some people bring their own pillow when traveling.
3. 新しい枕に変えたら肩こりが治った。 After switching to a new pillow, my stiff shoulders got better.

Usage Guide

Context: home, sleeping, shopping

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 枕 combines 木 (wood) and 冘 (a phonetic element), reflecting that early pillows were made of wood.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal