Meaning
柱 means pillar, post, or column — a vertical structural element that bears weight and holds a building up. Literally it names the wooden or concrete posts that frame houses and temples. Figuratively it describes the backbone of a family, the linchpin of an organization, or the founding principle of an idea.
The character is a compound ideograph (会意文字) built from two elements: the radical 木 (tree, wood) on the left, and 主 (master, main, principal) on the right. Read together they say the master wooden element — a pillar in a single picture. 主 also carries a phonetic role: the On'yomi チュウ echoes its reading シュ/ス. This mix of meaning and sound clues is common among kanji for architectural and craft concepts.
A Grade 3 elementary school kanji, 柱 is taught to Japanese children around age 8–9. Nine strokes: start with the 木 radical on the left, then add the 主 component on the right. Learning to write it builds familiarity with the 木 radical family — dozens of kanji share that left-side element, all tied to trees, wood, or wooden objects.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
チュウ (chuu) is the On'yomi reading. It appears mainly in technical and architectural compounds of Chinese origin — the vocabulary of formal writing, engineering texts, and construction.
- 電柱 (denchuu) — utility pole, telephone pole. The tall wooden or concrete posts that carry electrical wires along streets across Japan.
- 円柱 (enchuu) — cylinder; circular column or pillar. Used in both mathematics (geometric cylinder) and architecture (round column).
- 支柱 (shichuu) — prop, brace, supporting post. Common in construction and agriculture (for vine plants), and used figuratively for a person who supports others.
- 角柱 (kakuchuu) — prism; square or rectangular pillar. Standard in geometry and construction contexts.
- 灯柱 (touchuu) — lamppost, light column. The vertical post that holds a street lamp.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
はしら (hashira) is the everyday reading — the one heard in natural spoken Japanese. It names the posts and columns of traditional wooden buildings directly, and slips easily into figurative speech. One culturally notable quirk: はしら also functions as a counter for Shinto deities. 一柱の神 means "one deity." The pillar's role as a central, load-bearing presence runs so deep in Japanese thought that the language borrows it to count the gods themselves.
- 柱 (hashira) — a pillar, a post. The standalone word used when pointing to a structural column in a building.
- 大黒柱 (daikoku bashira) — the main central pillar of a traditional Japanese house; figuratively, the breadwinner or backbone of a family. 大黒 refers to Daikokuten, a god of wealth, and the central pillar of a home was traditionally considered sacred.
- 柱時計 (hashira dokei) — a wall clock; literally a "pillar clock," mounted on a post or wall column.
- 水柱 (mizu bashira) — a column of water, a waterspout. Describes a tall narrow jet of water surging into the air.
Common Words & Compounds
柱 turns up across architecture, daily life, natural imagery, and religion. Below are the key compounds, grouped by theme.
Architecture & Construction
- 電柱 (denchuu) — utility/telephone pole
- 支柱 (shichuu) — supporting pillar, prop, brace
- 円柱 (enchuu) — circular column, cylinder
- 角柱 (kakuchuu) — rectangular prism, square post
- 柱頭 (chuutou) — capital (the decorative top of a classical column)
- 柱石 (chuuseki) — cornerstone, foundation stone; figuratively, a pillar of society
- 灯柱 (touchuu) — lamppost
Everyday & Figurative Use
- 大黒柱 (daikoku bashira) — main pillar of a house; backbone or breadwinner of a family
- 柱時計 (hashira dokei) — wall clock (mounted on a pillar or wall)
- 水柱 (mizu bashira) — column of water, waterspout
- 火柱 (hi bashira) — pillar of fire, column of flames
- 煙柱 (kemuri bashira) — column of smoke rising into the sky
Spiritual & Cultural
- 神柱 (kami bashira) — a divine pillar; はしら is the counter used for Shinto gods (一柱の神 — one deity)
- 鳥居柱 (torii bashira) — the vertical posts of a Shinto torii gate
Example Sentences
この家の大黒柱は太くて丈夫だ。
Kono ie no daikoku bashira wa futokute joubu da.
The main pillar of this house is thick and sturdy.
父はこの家族の大黒柱として働き続けた。
Chichi wa kono kazoku no daikoku bashira toshite hataraki tsudzuketa.
My father kept working as the backbone of this family.
道の脇に電柱が立ち並んでいる。
Michi no waki ni denchuu ga tachi narande iru.
Utility poles line the side of the road.
地震で柱にひびが入ってしまった。
Jishin de hashira ni hibi ga haitte shimatta.
The earthquake cracked the pillar.
火事の現場から高い火柱が上がった。
Kaji no genba kara takai hibashira ga agatta.
A tall pillar of fire rose from the scene of the blaze.
古い神社の柱には美しい彫刻が施されている。
Furui jinja no hashira ni wa utsukushii chokoku ga hodokosarete iru.
The pillars of the old shrine are adorned with beautiful carvings.
彼女はチームの精神的な柱だった。
Kanojo wa chiimu no seishinteki na hashira datta.
She was the spiritual pillar of the team.
数学の授業で円柱の体積を計算した。
Suugaku no jugyou de enchuu no taiseki wo keisan shita.
We calculated the volume of a cylinder in math class.
突然の爆発で水柱が空高く舞い上がった。
Totsuzen no bakuhatsu de mizu bashira ga sora takaku mai agatta.
The sudden explosion sent a column of water soaring into the sky.
Memory Tip
Break 柱 into its two parts: on the left, 木 — a tall tree, raw material. On the right, 主 — master, main. Together: the master piece of wood, the most important timber in any building. Picture a grand wooden hall in ancient Japan, where a thick central post of fragrant hinoki cypress stands as the "master tree," holding up the entire roof. The word 大黒柱 cements the idea: just as the god Daikoku brings fortune and stability to the household, the main pillar brings structural stability to the home itself.