koku
C1/C2 (Very Low)Technical/Historical/Specialist
Definition
Meaning
A traditional Japanese unit of volume, historically used to measure rice.
In historical and cultural contexts, a measure of a samurai's income or a domain's wealth, based on annual rice production. Sometimes used metaphorically for foundational resources or capacity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is almost exclusively encountered in historical texts, academic discussions of Japanese history (e.g., the Edo period), or cultural contexts. Its use in modern English is highly specific and rare.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference; the term is equally rare and specialist in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes Japanese feudalism, samurai stipends, and agrarian economics.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, limited to niche historical or cultural discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N + of + N (a koku of rice)NUM + koku (five hundred koku)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not worth a koku (invented, based on pattern) - meaning 'of negligible value'.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in history papers on Japanese socio-economics.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in precise historical descriptions of daimyo domains.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The koku-based taxation system was complex.
- He had a 500-koku stipend.
American English
- The koku-based tax system was complex.
- He had a 500-koku stipend.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This word is not taught at A2 level.
- 'Koku' is a historical Japanese word.
- A samurai's income was measured in koku, a unit of rice.
- The daimyo's domain was assessed at over a million koku.
- The stability of the Tokugawa shogunate was underpinned by the meticulous assessment of each domain's productive capacity in koku.
- A stipend of just 50 koku placed the samurai at the lowest rung of the warrior class.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'KOrean rice and Japanese sKUlls' -> KOKU was used to measure rice for samurai (whose symbol was often a skull/helmet).
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS STATUS (A samurai's rank and honour were metaphorically measured in koku).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as modern 'центнер' or 'мешок'. It is a specific historical unit, not a general weight.
- Do not confuse with Russian 'кок' (cock) or 'кока' (coke).
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a general term for 'a lot' (e.g., 'He has koku of money').
- Pronouncing it with a hard 'k' in the second syllable (/kɒkʊ/).
Practice
Quiz
In what context would you most likely encounter the word 'koku'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency loanword used only in specific historical or cultural contexts related to Japan.
One koku is traditionally defined as the volume of rice needed to feed one person for one year, roughly 180 litres or about 150 kg.
No, in English usage it functions almost exclusively as a noun (or a noun adjunct in phrases like 'koku system').
The koku was the fundamental unit of economic and political power in feudal Japan, directly determining a samurai's status, a domain's military obligations, and the shogunate's control over the country.