1. Noun

   rod; pole

2. neck (of a shamisen, etc.); shamisen

   esp. 棹

3. beam (i.e. the crossbar of a balance)

4. single line (esp. as a flying formation for geese)

5. penis

   Slang

6. Counter

   counter for flags (on poles); counter for long, thin Japanese sweets (e.g. yōkan)

Also written 棹【さお】sao