kintsugi

[kin-tsoo-gee]

noun

1. Also called kintsukuroi. a traditional Japanese pottery repair technique in which lacquer mixed with precious metals, especially gold, is used to fill cracks and replace missing pieces.

   A 300-year old vase repaired with kintsugi was on display.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kintsugi¹

First recorded in 2005–10; from Japanese: literally “gold repair, gold joinery”

Example Sentences

A shattered Japanese kintsugi bowl is a newly added visual metaphor of their relationship, as is Dawn’s attempt to fix it with Krazy glue, a wink-wink at her emotional volatility.

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Humbe, “Kintsugi” Using the Japanese art of fixing broken pottery as a metaphor for a transformative love, 24-year-old experimental pop star Humbe brings a new kind of sensuality to his sound.

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Visitors can also participate in kintsugi workshops, learning how to repair chipped, cracked and broken ceramic and porcelain tableware using 100% natural materials including urushi lacquer and 24K gold powder.

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“Kintsugi” is not necessarily an indictment of L.A. — it’s an indictment of the entertainment industry that I’d found myself rubbing up against.

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You sing about L.A. in a pretty negative way on Death Cab’s “Kintsugi,” which followed your divorce.

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