Shakushi (rice scoop) - Shakushi

Japanese: しゃくし(杓子) - しゃくし

A tool used to scoop and transfer soup, rice, etc. In ladies' language, it is called "shamoji (rice scoop character)". The words "shakushi" and "shamoji" are used for both soup ladles, which are used to serve soup, and rice ladles, which are used to serve rice, but because they have different uses, they also have different shapes. A soup ladle always needs a depression, but a rice ladle can be made from a flat piece of wood. This is probably why in many regions rice ladles are called "spatula" or "meshibera". Soup ladles are called "tadpole" or "kaijakushi", and are made of wood, metal, or even scallop shells with a handle attached.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

汁，飯などをすくい，移すための具。女房詞（にようぼうことば）で〈しゃもじ(杓文字)〉という。〈しゃくし〉〈しゃもじ〉の語は汁を盛る汁しゃくしと，飯を盛る飯しゃくしの両方に用いられているが，両者は用途がちがうので形態も異なっている。汁しゃくしは必ずくぼみを必要とするが，飯しゃくしは平らな木片でもまにあう。飯しゃくしを〈へら〉〈めしべら〉と呼ぶ地域が多いのは，そのためであろう。汁しゃくしの方は〈おたまじゃくし〉〈かいじゃくし〉などと呼ばれ，木製，金属製などのほか，ホタテガイなどの貝殻に柄をつけたものも用いられる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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