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hibachi

a small, portable charcoal grill or heating device

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Where does the word "hibachi" come from? It comes from Japanese hi + bachi, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "hibachi" come from? It comes from Japanese hi + bachi, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Hibachi’s story begins in Japanese: hi + bachi meant “a fire bowl.” Combining "hi" (fire) and "hachi" (bowl). It reached English by 1900s as hibachi. Adopted for a small charcoal grill or heating device. Today, hibachi means a small, portable charcoal grill or heating device.

  1. Stage 1 · Japanese · medieval hi + bachi "a fire bowl", combining "hi" (fire) and "hachi" (bowl).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s hibachi "a small charcoal grill", adopted for a small charcoal grill or heating device.

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