noun
A long, slender rod or pole, such as a fishing rod, clothes-drying pole, or carrying pole.
父は新しい釣り竿を買った。
My father bought a new fishing rod.
洗濯物を竿に干す。
I hang the laundry on the pole.
noun
neck (of a shamisen, etc.); shamisen
Only when written 棹
The long neck of a shamisen or similar stringed instrument; also used metonymically for the instrument itself. The kanji 棹 is especially common for this sense.
三味線の棹は紅木で作られることが多い。
The neck of a shamisen is often made of rosewood.
noun
The horizontal crossbar of a balance scale. A somewhat specialized term.
天秤の竿が水平になれば、重さが等しい。
When the beam of the balance is level, the weights are equal.
noun
single line (formation of geese)
Describes geese or other birds flying in a single line. A somewhat literary or descriptive term.
雁が竿になって飛んでいく。
The geese fly off in a single line.
noun
Slang term for the penis, likening it to a rod or pole.
下ネタで竿という言葉を使うことがある。
In dirty jokes, the word 竿 is sometimes used.
counter
counter for flags on poles; counter for long, thin sweets
Used as a counter for flags on poles, or for long, thin Japanese sweets such as yōkan.
旗が三竿立っている。
Three flags on poles are standing.
羊羹を一竿買った。
I bought one block of yōkan.