noun
sacred Shinto rope; shimenawa
A thick straw rope often decorated with paper streamers (shide), used to mark sacred or pure areas in Shinto, such as around shrines, sacred trees, or as a New Year's decoration to ward off evil spirits.
神社の入り口にしめ縄がかけてある。
A shimenawa is hung at the entrance of the shrine.
お正月に玄関にしめ縄を飾る。
We decorate the entrance with a shimenawa for New Year's.
Rarely used kanji form; the characters 七五三 (7-5-3) are ateji.
Rarely used kanji form.
The word is a compound of しめ (from 締める, 'to tighten' or 'to bind') and 縄 (なわ, 'rope'). The exact origin of the sacred use is uncertain, but it is deeply rooted in Shinto tradition.