たんす

• Reading: たんす
• Romaji: tansu
• Kanji breakdown: 箪 (tan) — bamboo container; 笥 (su/shi) — bamboo box
• Pronunciation: /ta.ɴ.sɯ/

Meaning

Chest of drawers; bureau; cabinet; dresser. Traditional Japanese storage furniture with drawers.

While the kanji 箪笥 exists, this word is almost always written in hiragana because the kanji are not in the common-use (常用漢字) list. A traditional piece of Japanese furniture used for storing clothing and household items. Varieties include 洋服たんす (yōfuku tansu — wardrobe) and 和たんす (wa-dansu — kimono chest).

Examples

1. たんすに服を入れてください。 Please put the clothes in the dresser.
2. 古いたんすを新しいものに替えました。 I replaced the old dresser with a new one.
3. たんすの引き出しが開きません。 The dresser drawer won't open.

Usage Guide

Context: home, furniture, storage

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the kanji 箪笥, where 箪 refers to a round bamboo container and 笥 means a square bamboo container. Together they came to mean a storage chest, reflecting the evolution from bamboo boxes to wooden dressers.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal