knotted letter
Archaic term for a letter tied in a knot, used in historical contexts. Cross-referenced with 結び文.
See also: 結び文
Knotted letters were used in the past for love letters and the like.
Compound of 結び (musubi, 'knot') and 状 (jō, 'letter'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term refers to a letter tied in a knot, a practice in classical Japanese correspondence.