杉皮

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 杉皮 combines 杉, “cedar,” with 皮, “bark,” and is read すぎかわ.
• Basic usage: It denotes bark removed from a cedar tree, especially when dried and used as roofing or wall material.
  • In 職人は乾かした杉皮を屋根の材料に使いました。, dried cedar bark is used for roofing; 古い小屋の壁には杉皮が丁寧に張られています。 describes it attached to the hut walls.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• に marking use as material
  • に in 屋根の材料に使う marks the purpose for which 杉皮 is used. Keep the roof itself distinct from its material.
• Result state 張られている
  • 杉皮が張られている is a passive result state showing that someone has attached the bark. It does not describe the bark attaching itself.
• 杉皮 and 杉材
  • 杉皮 is the outer bark of cedar, while 杉材(すぎざい) is cedar lumber. They come from the same tree but are different parts and materials.