畳

• Reading: じょう
• Romaji: jou
• Kanji breakdown: 畳 (jō/tatami) — tatami, fold, layer
• Pronunciation: /dʑoː/

Meaning

A tatami mat counter; a unit for measuring room size. One 畳 equals the area of one standard tatami mat.

As a counter (じょう), it measures room size in tatami mat units. A standard tatami is approximately 1.8m by 0.9m. Japanese rooms are described by their tatami count, such as 六畳 (roku-jō, 6 tatami) or 八畳 (hachi-jō, 8 tatami). When read as たたみ, it refers to the mat itself. Essential for understanding Japanese housing.

Examples

1. 私の部屋は六畳です。 My room is six tatami mats in size.
2. 八畳の和室でお茶を飲みました。 I had tea in an eight-tatami Japanese-style room.
3. この部屋は四畳半しかありません。 This room is only four and a half tatami mats.

Usage Guide

Context: housing, real estate, traditional rooms

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the verb 畳む (tatamu, to fold). Tatami mats were originally foldable and portable. The kanji 畳 contains 田 (field) stacked, suggesting layers.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal