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敷居 (しきい, shikii) Japanese meaning: threshold | Kotomora

敷しき居い

し

き

い

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

threshold; sill

architecture›

Specifically the grooved threshold for sliding doors in traditional Japanese architecture. Often contrasted with 鴨居 (kamoi, the upper lintel).

See also: 鴨居

敷しき居いが

高たか

い

の

で

、

つまずか

ない

よう

に

気き

を

つけ

て

ください

。

The threshold is high, so please be careful not to trip.

古ふるい家いえの敷しき居いはすり減へってつるつるになっていた。

The threshold of the old house was worn smooth.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉の敷しき居いを踏ふむto step on a threshold (traditionally considered bad manners/luck in Japan)
敷しき居いを踏ふむのは縁えん起ぎが悪わるいと言いわれている。
It's said to be bad luck to step on a threshold.

Expressions

敷しき居いが高たかいhard to approach; awkward to visit; having a high threshold
敷しき居いの高たかいhard to approach; intimidating; high barrier to entry
敷しき居いをまたぐcross the threshold; pass the threshold

Kanji

敷spread, pave, sit
居reside, to be, exist
閾threshold

Opposites

鴨かも居い
敷居 is the grooved threshold at the bottom of a sliding door frame, while 鴨居 is the corresponding lintel at the top.

Don't confuse with

閾いき値ち
閾 (しきい) alone usually means the physical threshold of a doorway, while 閾値 is the abstract or numerical threshold value used in science and technology.
敷しき
敷き means spreading/a deposit/a floor mattress, whereas 敷居 means the threshold or sill of a doorway; the two share the kanji 敷 but are otherwise unrelated in meaning.
仕し切きり
敷居 (a doorway threshold) sounds similar to 仕切り but refers to a completely different physical feature, not a divider or partition.

Counted with

本ほんN5
book; volume; script · this; present; current; in question · main; head; principal · real; genuine; regular; proper · counter for long cylindrical objects; counter for films, TV shows, etc.; counter for goals, home runs, etc.; counter for telephone calls

Word family

窓まど敷しき居い
window sill; window ledge
敷しき居い値ち演えん算ざん
threshold operation
敷しき居い値ち素そ子し
threshold gate; threshold element
敷しき居

Written forms

敷しき居いUsage63%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency and priority-tagged.
しきUsage27%
閾Usage5%

Etymology

Compound of 敷 (shiki, 'spread, lay') + 居 (i, 'seat, being'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the idea of a laid base or sill.

い

値ち

関かん

数すう

threshold function

敷しき居い値ちゲート

threshold gate; threshold element

しきい

Rare kanji form; also has readings しきみ and しき. Mainly encountered in older or technical texts.

しき

しきみ

しきいUsage5%

Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.

しきみ