ショベル
Japanese
ショベル (shoberu): various shovels.
Etymology
Borrowed from English shovel.[1][2]
Pronunciation
- (Tokyo) ショベル [shóꜜbèrù] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
- IPA(key): [ɕo̞be̞ɾɯ̟ᵝ]
Noun
ショベル • (shoberu)
- a shovel, especially a larger one
- an excavator (as a piece of construction equipment)
Usage notes
The term シャベル (shaberu) appears to be the most general term for a shovel used by hand.
The Japanese Industrial Standards define a distinction between ショベル (shoberu) (notably not シャベル (shaberu)) and スコップ (sukoppu), stating that a hand ショベル (shoberu) has a footrest on the back of the blade of the shovel where the user can place their foot for greater leverage, while a スコップ (sukoppu) has no such footrest.
A large shovel as part of construction equipment appears to be more commonly called a ショベル (shoberu).
Synonyms
- シャベル (shaberu): a shovel
- スコップ (sukoppu): a spade, a scoop, a trowel
References
- 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
- 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN