薪

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 薪 is a noun read まき, meaning firewood cut and dried for burning.
• Basic usage: Use 薪を暖炉のそばに積む for stacking firewood by a fireplace and 斧で薪を割る for splitting it with an axe.
  • 乾いた薪を暖炉のそばに積んでおきました。 describes stacking dry firewood by the fireplace for later use; 父は斧で薪を割り、束にして運びました。 describes a father splitting firewood with an axe, bundling it, and carrying it.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 薪を積んでおく
  • ておく indicates that the firewood is stacked in advance for later use.
• 斧で薪を割る
  • で marks the tool, and を marks the firewood being split.
• 束にして
  • にする marks the resulting form: the pieces are made into a bundle before being carried.