立体

• Reading: りったい
• Romaji: rittai
• Kanji breakdown: 立 (ritsu) — stand, erect; 体 (tai) — body, form, object
• Pronunciation: /ɾit.tai/

Meaning

Solid body; three-dimensional object. A physical form that has height, width, and depth.

A noun and no-adjective referring to three-dimensional shapes or objects, as opposed to 平面 (heimen, flat/two-dimensional). Used in maths, art, and architecture: 立体の図形 (solid figure), 立体駐車場 (multi-storey car park). Also used figuratively to describe something that has depth or dimensionality, such as a well-rounded character portrayal.

Examples

1. 数学の授業で立体の体積の求め方を学んだ。 In math class, we learned how to calculate the volume of a solid.
2. 駅前に大きな立体駐車場がある。 There's a large multi-story parking garage in front of the station.
3. この作品は立体の構造がとても美しい。 The three-dimensional structure of this piece is very beautiful.

Usage Guide

Context: maths, art, architecture

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 立 (ritsu, stand/erect) + 体 (tai, body/form). Literally 'standing body' — a form that occupies space in three dimensions.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated