Sakazuki
/ˌsɑː.kəˈzuː.ki/noun
A traditional Japanese cup used for drinking sake, especially in formal or ceremonial settings.
Did you know?Sakazuki cups have been used in ceremonial exchanges, including wedding rituals and samurai-era pledges of allegiance, making shared sake a public act of binding relationships.
Etymological Timeline
Old Japanese
Japanese
酒
“Saka or sake: alcoholic drink, especially fermented rice liquor”
Old Japanese
Japanese
杯
“Tsuki: a cup or drinking vessel”
Medieval Japanese
Japanese
さかづき
“Sakazuki: a cup for drinking sake; the consonant changes through Japanese rendaku”
16th–17th Century
Japanese
盃・杯 sakazuki
“A shallow sake cup used in formal drinking and oath-making ceremonies”
Modern English
English
sakazuki
“A Japanese ceremonial sake cup, especially one associated with weddings, ritual, or formal exchange”