skewer

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 串 has seven strokes, represents a skewer used to thread things, and is read くし.
• Basic usage: 串 is the skewer itself; 串焼き is food grilled on a skewer.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Tool and action
  • 串 is a noun; threading or piercing is expressed with a verb such as 刺す.
  • 肉を串に刺す means to thread meat onto a skewer. を marks the meat, and に marks the skewer.
• Taking food off
  • 串から外す means to remove something from a skewer.
  • に刺す marks what something is threaded onto; から外す marks what it is removed from.
• Not limited to one ingredient
  • 串焼き is read くしやき.
  • Vegetables as well as meat can be grilled on skewers, so the word is not restricted to chicken.