座標

• Reading: ざひょう
• Romaji: zahyo
• Kanji breakdown: 座 (za) — seat, position | 標 (hyo) — mark, sign
• Pronunciation: /za.hjo.ɯ/

Meaning

Coordinates; a coordinate system. Numbers that specify the position of a point in a geometric space.

Used in mathematics, geography, physics, and computer graphics. Common collocations include 直交座標 (Cartesian coordinates), 極座標 (polar coordinates), and 座標系 (coordinate system). In everyday Japanese, it can also be used figuratively to mean 'one's position' within a social or conceptual framework.

Examples

1. 地図上の座標を用いて、観測地点の正確な位置を記録した。 The exact position of each observation point was recorded using coordinates on the map.
2. 三次元空間における物体の動きは、x・y・zの座標で表現できる。 The movement of an object in three-dimensional space can be expressed using x, y, and z coordinates.
3. このグラフでは、横軸に時間、縦軸に温度を取った座標系を使用している。 This graph uses a coordinate system with time on the horizontal axis and temperature on the vertical axis.

Usage Guide

Context: mathematics, physics, geography, computer graphics

Tone: technical

Origin & History

Compound of 座 (za) meaning 'seat, position' and 標 (hyo) meaning 'mark, sign'. Together they mean 'positional marker', a translation coined during the Meiji modernisation of Japanese mathematics.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Students and professionals

Social background: Academic