noun
iron pot; kettle
A deep metal pot or kettle used for cooking rice, boiling water, or heating liquids. Often associated with traditional Japanese cooking.
釜でご飯を炊く。
Cook rice in an iron pot.
お茶を沸かすために釜に水を入れた。
I put water in the kettle to boil for tea.
鍋 is a general pot or pan, often shallower and used for stewing or frying, while 釜 is typically deeper and made of iron, used for boiling or steaming.
やかん is a kettle with a spout, usually for boiling water, while 釜 is a larger, spoutless pot often used for cooking rice or heating large amounts of water.
The kanji 釜 depicts a metal pot. The reading かま is native Japanese and has been used since ancient times for cooking vessels.