正座

• Reading: せいざ
• Romaji: seiza
• Kanji breakdown: 正 (sei/tadashii) — correct, proper; 座 (za/suwaru) — to sit, seat
• Pronunciation: /seː.za/

Meaning

The formal Japanese sitting posture on one's knees; seiza. Sitting with legs folded under, buttocks resting on the heels.

A noun describing the traditional formal seated posture — both legs tucked under with the tops of the feet flat on the floor. Required in tea ceremony, traditional martial arts, and respectful formal situations. Figuratively, 正座させられる (to be made to sit in seiza) means to be called in for a formal scolding.

Examples

1. 茶道の稽古では正座で一時間以上過ごすことが多い。 In tea ceremony practice, it is common to sit in seiza for over an hour.
2. 父に呼ばれ、リビングで正座のまま長々と説教を受けた。 Called in by my father, I sat in seiza in the living room and endured a long lecture.
3. 足が不自由な方には、正座ではなく椅子での参加が勧められた。 Those with difficulty in their legs were encouraged to participate in a chair rather than sitting in seiza.

Usage Guide

Context: traditional culture, tea ceremony, martial arts, manners

Tone: formal

Origin & History

Compound of 正 (sei, correct/proper) and 座 (za, sitting/seat). The term was standardised in the Meiji era as the officially approved sitting posture in schools and formal settings.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal