inkstone

English

An inkstone and brush originally part of a Qing-era county yamen (government office).

Ink stick, brush and ink stone for sumi-e painting.

Etymology

From ink +‎ stone.

Noun

inkstone (plural inkstones)

1. A stone mortar used for grinding and holding ink in the East Asian art and calligraphy tradition.
   • 2000, Richard L. Saunders, Printing in Deseret:

     He turns to the inkstone and picks up by the handles the two inkballs, rolling the leather facings together to freshen the ink. […] As the pressman returns the inkballs to the inkstone, the journeyman closes the frisket and tympan.

Translations

stone mortar

• Arabic: حَجَر حَبْر m (ḥajar ḥabr)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 硯 / 砚 (zh) (yàn), 硯臺 / 砚台 (zh) (yàntái)

• Finnish: mustekivi
• Japanese: 硯 (ja) (すずり, suzuri)
• Korean: 벼루 (ko) (byeoru)
• Portuguese: pedra de tinta f
• Thai: จานฝนหมึก (jaan-fǒn-mʉ̀k)
• Vietnamese: nghiên (vi), nghiên mực
• Yonaguni: 硯 (ちでぃり, chidiri)

Anagrams

• Keniston