# kanban

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkanban/ · frequency rank #90,610

## Definitions
1. A card containing a set of manufacturing specifications and requirements, used to regulate the supply of components.
2. A coordinated manufacturing system using such cards.
3. A system to manage, visualise, and improve work across teams, often as part of an agile methodology.

## Etymology
From Japanese 看板 (かんばん, kanban), from 看 (kan, “visible”) + 板 (“board or card”), developed and first used in the Toyota Production System.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/kanban