hard-packed dirt floor; concrete floor
Refers to a traditional Japanese earthen floor, typically found in entryways (genkan) or kitchens, made of a mixture of clay, gravel, and lime that is tamped down. Can also refer to a concrete floor in modern contexts.
The entrance of the old house has a hard-packed dirt floor.
Sweep the earthen floor of the doma with a broom.
Standard kanji form for this architectural term, though the word is usually written in kana.
Katakana spelling sometimes used for emphasis or in technical contexts.
Rarely used kanji form.
The kanji 三和土 literally means 'three harmony earth', referring to the three materials (clay, gravel, and lime) mixed to create the hard-packed floor. The reading たたき comes from the verb 叩く (to beat/tamp), describing the process of tamping the mixture to harden it.