kintsugi

Language: Japanese · [kʲint͡sɨɡʲi] · Pronunciation: kin-TSOO-gee

Meaning

mending broken pottery with gold, so the crack stays visible

The story

Kin is gold and tsugi is joining: a cracked tea bowl is mended with urushi lacquer dusted with gold, so the break stays visible and becomes part of the bowl. Japanese craftsmen have done it for centuries. In English it goes by golden repair.

The four rounds

Which language is it from?: Japanese
What does it literally say?: Gold-joining
Where would you hear it?: A cracked tea bowl and a pot of lacquer
What does it mean?: Fixing broken pottery with gold seams

Play this word Play today's word

practice word · ‹ Previous practice word · Next practice word › · All words