Roughly speaking, the kiseru is made up of 'gankubi' with a bowl to be filled up with shredded tobacco (the term gankubi suggests the part from the base of the bowl to the joint of rau), a mouthpiece to be put in mouth, and 'rau' - also pronounced 'rao,' a pipe connecting between the gankubi and the mouthpiece.
大きくわけると、刻み煙草を詰める火皿（椀形の部分）に首のついた「雁首」（火皿の付け根から羅宇と接合する部分まで）、口にくわえる部分の「吸い口」、それらをつなぐ管の「羅宇」（らう）ー（らお）とも読むーにわけられる。