tatami

[ tuh-tah-mee ]

noun

, plural ta·ta·mi, ta·ta·mis.

1. (in Japanese houses) any of a number of thick, woven straw mats of uniform dimensions, about 3 feet by 6 feet (91 centimeters by 183 centimeters), the placing of which determines the dimensions of an interior.

tatami

/ təˈtɑːmɪ; tæˈtæmɪ /

noun

1. a thick rectangular mat of woven straw, used as a standard to measure a Japanese room

Word History and Origins

Origin of tatami¹

From Japanese, dating back to 1895–1900; noun use of the verb: “to fold up”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tatami¹

Japanese

Example Sentences

“Not what is lost but what is found when you do safety meetings in two languages and you learn not to walk onto tatami mats with your utility boots.”

From Los Angeles Times

“It felt like this weird lighting that was highlighting it almost like these were some marijuana plants that were found by the police or something. But I didn’t have any worries, because of the cultural differences. For example, when I was cleaning, he asked, ‘How would you clean the tatami mats?’

From Los Angeles Times

These raised floors were covered with rice-straw tatami mats.

From Los Angeles Times

A patrolling town official spotted the bears, believed to be a parent and two cubs, as they walked into a tatami factory Wednesday morning in Misato, a town in Akita prefecture, where there’s been a growing number of reported bear attacks in or near residential areas.

From Seattle Times

An owner of the tatami factory said he saw the bears walking outside but never thought they would come inside.

From Seattle Times