Glossary

Traditional Woodworking Terminology

This glossary provides definitions for specialized terms used in traditional woodworking across different cultures. Understanding these terms helps preserve the knowledge embedded in these craft traditions and facilitates accurate communication about historical techniques.

A

Adze

A cutting tool with a thin arched blade set at right angles to the handle, used for shaping wood by removing thin slices. Unlike an axe, which cuts with the grain, an adze is used to cut across the grain.

Origin: Ancient tool used across many cultures, with significant refinements in Egypt.

Ara-shiko (荒仕込)

Japanese term for a roughing plane with a wide mouth, used for initial dimensioning of lumber.

Origin: Japan, traditional woodworking terminology.

Asanoha (麻の葉)

A traditional Japanese geometric pattern resembling hemp leaves, commonly used in kumiko latticework. The hexagonal pattern symbolizes growth and good health.

Origin: Japan, traditional decorative pattern.

Auger

A hand tool with a helical bit for boring holes in wood. Traditional augers were operated with a brace (a crank-shaped device) that provided leverage for turning.

Origin: Ancient tool used across European and American woodworking traditions.

B

Bindingsværk

Danish term for half-timbered construction, characterized by exposed wooden frame with masonry or plaster infill. Often features more widely spaced timbers with brick infill.

Origin: Denmark, traditional building technique.

Brunnenkästen

Swiss term for spring-fed wooden chambers built directly over water sources, used for cooling milk and dairy products. Often constructed with stone bases for additional cooling.

Origin: Switzerland, Alpine dairy farming tradition.

Butterfly Key

A decorative yet functional inlay shaped like a bow tie or butterfly, used to prevent cracks from spreading in solid wood panels. Common in Chinese and Japanese furniture, later adopted in Western traditions.

Origin: Used in multiple traditions, particularly refined in East Asian woodworking.

C

Cha-dansu (茶箪笥)

Japanese term for a specialized chest designed for storing tea leaves and tea ceremony implements. Includes compartments with varying levels of air circulation based on the needs of different tea varieties.

Origin: Japan, traditional furniture type.

Choba-dansu (帳場箪笥)

Japanese term for a merchant's chest used in shops and trading houses for storing valuable goods including tea, spices, and other food commodities. Often incorporated security features like hidden compartments.

Origin: Japan, Edo period commercial furniture.

Colombage

French term for half-timbered construction, characterized by exposed wooden frame with masonry or plaster infill. Frequently incorporates curved braces and decorative elements.

Origin: France, traditional building technique.

D

Dai (台)

Japanese term for the wooden body of a hand plane (kanna), typically made from Japanese white oak (kashiwa) or Japanese red oak (akagashi).

Origin: Japan, traditional woodworking terminology.

Daiku (大工)

Japanese term for a master carpenter who specializes in timber framing and joinery. Traditional daiku underwent decades of training and were highly respected artisans.

Origin: Japan, traditional craft title.

Dovetail Joint

A joinery technique where two pieces of wood are joined together using interlocking "tails" and "pins" that resemble a dove's tail. Known for its strength and resistance to being pulled apart.

Origin: Ancient technique used across many woodworking traditions worldwide.

Drawknife

A hand tool with a blade between two handles, used to shape wood by pulling (drawing) the blade toward the user. Essential tool for shaping chair spindles, tool handles, and other curved components.

Origin: Ancient tool used across many woodworking traditions.

E

Evaporative Cooling

A cooling technique that uses the evaporation of water to remove heat. Traditional food storage systems often incorporated porous materials like moss that retained moisture and cooled through evaporation.

Origin: Principle used in various traditional cooling systems worldwide.

F

Fachwerk

German term for half-timbered construction, characterized by exposed wooden frame with masonry or plaster infill. Often features elaborate geometric patterns and diagonal bracing.

Origin: Germany, traditional building technique.

Floating Panel

A construction technique where a panel sits in grooves without being fixed, allowing for wood movement with humidity changes. Common in door and cabinet construction across many traditions.

Origin: Used in multiple woodworking traditions worldwide.

G

Girt

A horizontal structural member in timber framing that connects posts. In half-timbered construction, girts are often visible as horizontal timbers in the exposed frame.

Origin: European timber framing terminology.

Goma (胡麻)

Japanese term for a simple kumiko pattern of alternating squares, representing abundance. The name refers to sesame seeds, which the pattern resembles.

Origin: Japan, traditional decorative pattern.

H

Ha (刃)

Japanese term for the cutting blade of a hand plane (kanna), traditionally hand-forged with a laminated construction.

Origin: Japan, traditional woodworking terminology.

Hagane (鋼)

Japanese term for the hard, high-carbon steel used for the cutting edge of laminated tools like plane blades and chisels.

Origin: Japan, traditional metallurgy terminology.

Hinoki (檜)

Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), a wood prized in Japanese construction for its straight grain, pleasant aroma, and resistance to rot. Primarily used for high-status buildings like temples and shrines.

Origin: Japan, native wood species.

Huanghuali

A type of rosewood (Dalbergia odorifera) prized in Chinese furniture making, particularly during the Ming dynasty, for its honey-colored hue and distinctive grain patterns.

Origin: China, traditional furniture wood.

J

Jichimu

Chinese term for "chicken-wing wood" (Ormosia hosiei), named for its feather-like grain pattern. Used in high-quality Chinese furniture, particularly during the Ming dynasty.

Origin: China, traditional furniture wood.

Jigane (地金)

Japanese term for the softer, more flexible backing iron forge-welded to the harder cutting edge (hagane) in laminated Japanese tool blades.

Origin: Japan, traditional metallurgy terminology.

Jo-shiko (上仕込)

Japanese term for a finishing plane with a very tight mouth, capable of taking whisper-thin shavings for final surface preparation.

Origin: Japan, traditional woodworking terminology.

K

Kanna (鉋)

Japanese term for a traditional pull-style hand plane that cuts on the pulling stroke rather than the pushing stroke used in Western planes.

Origin: Japan, traditional woodworking tool.

Kanna-muki (鉋向き)

Japanese term for the mouth opening of a hand plane where shavings exit.

Origin: Japan, traditional woodworking terminology.

Kawai tsugite (河合継手)

Japanese term for a complex corner joint that locks in three dimensions, used in traditional Japanese carpentry.

Origin: Japan, traditional joinery technique.

Keyaki (欅)

Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata), a dense hardwood used for structural elements that require strength and durability in traditional Japanese construction, such as posts and beams.

Origin: Japan, native wood species.

Kiste

Norwegian term for a rectangular storage chest with a flat lid, often used for storing textiles and frequently decorated with rosemaling (decorative painting).

Origin: Norway, traditional furniture type.

Kome-bitsu (米櫃)

Japanese term for a large chest specifically designed for storing rice. Featured tight-fitting lids and often incorporated copper-lined compartments to deter pests.

Origin: Japan, traditional food storage furniture.

Kumiko (組子)

Japanese woodworking technique that creates intricate geometric patterns through the precise assembly of small wooden pieces without nails or glue.

Origin: Japan, traditional decorative woodworking technique.

T

Tansu (箪笥)

Japanese term for traditional storage chests or cabinets that evolved over centuries to address specific storage needs, including food preservation.

Origin: Japan, traditional furniture type.

Tieli

Chinese term for ironwood used for structural components requiring exceptional strength in traditional Chinese furniture, particularly during the Ming dynasty.

Origin: China, traditional furniture wood.

Tine

Norwegian term for a bentwood box with bentwood sides secured with wooden or metal bands, often decorated with rosemaling (decorative painting).

Origin: Norway, traditional container type.

Tudor

English style of half-timbered construction that typically uses closely spaced vertical timbers with horizontal rails, named after the Tudor period (1485-1603) when this style was prevalent.

Origin: England, traditional building technique.

Z

Zitan

An extremely dense, purple-black wood (Pterocarpus santalinus) reserved for imperial furniture in China. One of the most prized woods in Chinese furniture making, particularly during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Origin: China, traditional imperial furniture wood.