鞄（かばん、kaban）
- bag/briefcase

The Japanese word 鞄 （かばん, *kaban*） means "bag" or "handbag". It generally refers to a container, often with a handle or strap, used to carry items. 鞄 can encompass a wide variety of bags, from small purses to large suitcases.

⚫︎学校に行くとき、鞄に教科書を入れます。 Translation: I put textbooks in my bag when I go to school. ⚫︎旅行のために、大きな鞄を買いました。 Translation: I bought a big bag for travel.

⚫︎You can use 鞄 in various situations to describe the bag you are carrying. ⚫︎It's a very common and versatile word. ⚫︎You can use it to refer to a bag for school, work, travel, or any other purpose.

⚫︎The standard way to write 鞄 is with the kanji 鞄. ⚫︎The reading is かばん（*kaban*） in hiragana. ⚫︎There is no variation in the okurigana.

⚫︎バッグ（*baggu*）: This is a loanword from English and is a more general term for a bag. ⚫︎手提げ（てさげ, *tesage*）: handbag, often with a handle. ⚫︎リュックサック（*ryukkusakku*）: backpack

⚫︎While there isn't a direct antonym, words that describe the contents, or where items *aren't* carried, could be considered related but not direct opposites. For instance, ポケット (*poketto*, pocket) could be thought of as the inverse.

新しい鞄はとても使いやすいです。 ・Translation: The new bag is very easy to use. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the usability of a new bag.

重い鞄を持ちすぎて、肩が痛くなりました。 ・Translation: I carried the heavy bag too much, and my shoulder started to hurt. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a bag causing discomfort due to its weight.

The etymology of 鞄 is not entirely clear. It is thought to have possibly come from the Portuguese word "capa" meaning "cover" or "case", which was then adopted and adapted into Japanese.