座ざ作さ進しん退たい

ざ

さ

し

ん

た

い

Meanings

noun

deportment; behavior; carriage

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

A formal yojijukugo referring to one's overall bearing, posture, and conduct, especially in social or ceremonial contexts. Often used in discussions of etiquette, martial arts, or traditional arts.

茶さ道どうでは座ざ作さ進しん退たいが重じゅう視しされる。
In tea ceremony, deportment is emphasized.
彼かれの座ざ作さ進しん退たいは実じつに美うつくしい。
His carriage is truly graceful.

Kanji

坐sit
作make, production, prepare
進advance, proceed, progress
退retreat, withdraw, retire
座squat, seat, cushion

Related words

立たち居い振ふる舞まい
More common term for overall behavior and manners, including standing and sitting. 座作進退 is more formal and specifically emphasizes sitting, rising, advancing, and retreating.
挙きょ措そ進しん退たい
Similar yojijukugo meaning behavior and deportment, but 座作進退 explicitly includes sitting and rising actions.

Written forms

座ざ作さ進しん退たい
Common modern spelling using 座 (seat).
坐ざ作さ進しん退たい
Variant using 坐 (sit), an older form of 座. Both are used.

Etymology

A yojijukugo composed of 座 (sitting), 作 (rising), 進 (advancing), and 退 (retreating). The phrase originates from classical Chinese texts describing proper conduct and movement, later adopted into Japanese to denote refined deportment.