Add meaning "utensil" for 器

I have added it as a synonym already but I think it might be good to have this as an official meaning for this kanji. This seems to be generally the meaning that is returned in dictionaries for the kanji and it also helps with stories for words using this kanji such as

食器 - tableware - eating utensils
兵器 - arms - the utensils that soldiers use
楽器 - musical instrument - a fun utensil (this might be pushing it :slight_smile: )

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I could see that as a possibility, but the English word “utensil” tends to conjure images of forks, knives, spatulas, etc.

I would think that’s a bit far from what seems to have a meaning closer to “device”.

Of course, that’s just one person’s opinion, and ultimately, I think it’s up to the WaniKani developers.

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I think device is also a good alternative.

As you said it’s pretty subjective though.

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The first meaning for 器 that comes up on Jisho is “utensil”, so I think it would be a valid synonym here. “implement” or “tool” are also listed meanings that might work as synonyms.

I’m not sure what criteria they use when deciding which meanings to list first (just frequency? frequency in words weighted by the frequency of each word?), but just from experience I feel like its far more common for it to mean “utensil/implement/tool” than “container” in compound words.

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I agree that device or utensil would sound better than container

@Mods ?

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Jisho is not an authoritative dictionary, better to look at monolingual ones.

https://www.kanjipedia.jp/kanji/0001271700

As ‘utensil’ is mostly a definition that comes from one compound word, not sure it’s a good addition for just the kanji definition.

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Agreed with this. “Utensil” in English has a very narrow definition – it pretty much only refers to tools used for cooking or eating. 器 has a much broader meaning, it’s used in words that refer to almost any kind of tool or implement.

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It’s a valid meaning for the kanji as well. This is what Jim Breen’s KANJIDIC says. Interestingly it puts “utensil” first.

utensil; vessel; receptacle; implement; instrument; ability; container; tool; set

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I think the meanings of 器 should encompass most associated vocabularies, as well as how accomplished Japanese users (natives) feel about the Kanji in isolation or in names - so, it’s not rare for multiple meanings to need to be.

Nonetheless, Wiktionary (in Japanese section) didn’t get it bad at all - 器 - Wiktionary - also, explanations triumph simple English words alone (e.g. “smaller device”).

As for Jisho, Kanji definitions seem to come from KANJIDIC, I don’t know exactly how this resource is curated or maintained, but JMdict counterpart (for vocabularies) indeed can be edited from Jisho.

For Kanjipedia, it is indeed a dedicated Japanese team of people maintaining all entries (i.e. how native linguists feel about their own language).

Personally, I feel it is 1. tool 2. ability 3. container. I don’t know much about the fourth meaning - bodily organization / working, but I am not that proficient in Japanese either.

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Thanks for the ping DIO-Berry! I will bring this up to the team to discuss if we want to add ‘utensil’ as an official meaning for the kanji 器. I’ll include this thread too!

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