noun
ornamental crossed rafter ends on shrine gables
Architectural term for the crossed beams extending from the gable ends of Shinto shrine roofs, often seen as a distinctive decorative element.
神社の屋根の千木は、その神社の特徴の一つです。
The chigi on the shrine roof are one of its distinctive features.
千木の形は神社によって異なります。
The shape of chigi varies depending on the shrine.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 千木 (literally 'thousand trees') may be a phonetic or conventional spelling for this architectural term.