Japanese word of the day: 棚 (Tana)

What does 棚 (Tana) mean?

棚 (Tana) (noun) – Shelf; shelves; ledge; rack; sometimes trellis. This everyday word refers to the flat surfaces or racks where you store, display, or organize things-books, dishes, groceries, or even decorative items.

Kanji details for 棚

Character:　棚 — shelf, ledge, rack, mount, mantle, trellis
Radical: tree 木

Example sentences with 棚 (Tana)

• 母は棚の上に大きな花瓶を置いた。
  (Haha wa tana no ue ni ōkina kabin o oita.)
  🌺 My mother put a large vase on the shelf.

• その本はいちばん下の棚に置いてください。
  (Sono hon wa ichiban shita no tana ni oite kudasai.)
  📚 Put the book on the bottom shelf.

• 彼女は背が低すぎて上の棚には手が届かない。
  (Kanojo wa se ga hikusugite ue no tana ni wa te ga todokanai.)
  👐 She’s too short to reach the top shelf.

棚 (Tana) in context

棚 is a practical, everyday word you’ll use in homes, offices, stores, and even trains (like 網棚, the overhead rack). It’s the go-to word for anything that holds or displays items, from 本棚 (bookshelf) and 食器棚 (dish cupboard) to 冷蔵庫の棚 (refrigerator shelf). You’ll also see 棚 used in compound words for specific types of shelves or racks, and in idioms like 棚上げ (tanaage, to “shelve” an issue or put something on hold).

棚 is about the structure-the surface or rack itself. For cabinets or cupboards, you’ll often see it combined with other kanji, like 戸棚 (todana, cupboard) or 書棚 (shodana, bookcase). If you’re ever in a Japanese home or store, 棚 is the word you’ll hear when someone’s looking for space to put something away or display it neatly.