The kanji 棟 generally refers to the "ridge" or "highest part" of a building, specifically the topmost horizontal beam that runs along the length of the roof. It signifies the structural apex of a structure. It can also broadly refer to a building or a dwelling itself, especially a house or a unit within a complex. It embodies the concept of a completed structure, the final assembly of a building, or the highest structural element.

・On-yomi (音読み): ・ トウ (tō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ・ むね (mune)

⚫︎ 一戸棟の家 Translation: A house of one [棟] (single-family house). ⚫︎ アパートの五棟 Translation: Five [棟] of apartments (buildings). ⚫︎ この棟は新しい Translation: This [棟] is new (This building is new).

The kanji 棟 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The left side is 木 (ki), meaning "tree" or "wood," and it acts as the semantic component, indicating that the character is related to something made of wood or related to construction. The right side is 東 (higashi), meaning "east" and functions phonetically, indicating the character's pronunciation. The original meaning relates to the main beam in the roof and, by extension, the building itself. The character was developed from the idea of the supporting beam, usually made of wood, at the top of a building.