棟瓦

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 棟瓦 is read as むねがわら and is a noun for a tile placed along the ridge of a roof.
• Basic usage: A ridge tile on an old house appears in 古民家の棟瓦, while replacing a broken one appears in 棟瓦を取り替える.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Position on the roof
  • 棟瓦 specifically names a tile on the ridge at the top of a roof, not every tile covering the roof.
• Difference from 屋根瓦
  • 屋根瓦 broadly refers to roofing tiles, while 棟瓦 identifies the tiles used along the roof ridge.