desk pad; underlay; writing mat
A thin sheet of plastic, cardboard, or felt placed under writing paper to provide a smooth surface and protect the desk. Common in school and office settings.
新しい下敷きを買って、ノートに挟んだ。
I bought a new desk pad and slipped it into my notebook.
下敷きがないと、紙にペンの跡がついてしまう。
Without an underlay, the pen leaves marks on the paper.
being pinned under; being trapped under; being crushed beneath
Describes a person or object being caught, buried, or crushed under something heavy, often in accidents or disasters. Used as a noun, frequently in compound expressions like 下敷きになる.
地震で倒れた家具の下敷きになって、動けなかった。
I was pinned under the furniture that fell during the earthquake and couldn't move.
雪崩の下敷きになった登山者が救助された。
The climber who was buried under the avalanche was rescued.
Used in the pattern 〜を下敷きにして, meaning 'based on' or 'using as a model'. Often refers to adapting a story, design, or system from an existing work or framework.
この映画は実際の事件を下敷きにして作られた。
This movie was made based on a real incident.
古典文学を下敷きにした新しい小説が話題だ。
A new novel modeled on classical literature is getting attention.
This movie is based on a famous novel.
If you use a desk pad when writing in your notebook, you can write more neatly.