川かわの字じ

expression, noun

three people sleeping side by side; sleeping like the character 川

Refers to the arrangement of three people lying side by side, typically a child between two parents, resembling the three strokes of the kanji 川. Used in set phrases like 川の字で寝る or 川の字になって寝る.

• 家か族ぞく三さん人にんで川かわの字じになって寝ねた。

  The three of us in the family slept side by side like the character 川.

• 子こ供どもが小ちいさい頃ころは、よく川かわの字じで寝ねていた。

  When the kids were small, we often slept three in a row.