The Meaning of takibi [焚火] In Japanese

焚火
たきび
Romaji: takibi N5

What does 焚火 mean?

Translation and Meaning

campfire, bonfire

Definition

焚火 means an outdoor blaze built for warmth or cooking during outdoor activities. In English contexts, it typically refers to a communal flame enjoyed in nature, such as during camping or outdoor gatherings.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • 1) outdoor fire used for warmth, light, or cooking in nature or camping contexts.
  • 2) evokes rustic, communal atmospheres and outdoor lifestyle in writing and photography.
  • 3) not used for indoor domestic fireplaces; a different term is used for home heating.

Composition

  • 焚: to burn, kindle, or set alight; emphasizes active ignition or burning of material.
  • 火: fire, flame; the basic element of combustion.

Usage

Used in casual speech about outdoor activities like camping, hiking, or backyard gatherings, and in nature or travel writing to describe a blaze built outdoors; used with a tone that is rustic and conversational; in formal writing, a more technical or region-specific term may be preferred.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine two flames (焚 and 火) joining to create a single outdoor blaze that gathers people around a warm circle, typical of takibi on a night outdoors.

Variations

  • 焚き火 — takibi, the common form with Hiragana, often used interchangeably in everyday writing.
  • キャンプファイヤー — kyanpu faiyā, a loanword representing a campfire in more modern or borrowed-language contexts.

Words with the same Kanji

Example Phrases

  • 焚火の前で友達と話す夜を過ごす。
    Takibi no mae de tomodachi to hanasu yoru o sugosu.
    I spend a night talking with friends in front of a campfire.
    Lista:
    • 焚火 (takibi) – campfire
    • の前で (no mae de) – in front of
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with friends
    • 話す (hanasu) – to talk
    • 夜を (yoru o) – night (object marker)
    • 過ごす (sugosu) – to spend
    The word 「焚火」 means campfire; used here as a noun with の前で to indicate location, and 夜を過ごす means “to spend the night.”
焚火