Shikishi
/ʃiːˈkiːʃi/noun
A small square Japanese card or board used for calligraphy, painting, inscriptions, or autographs.
Did you know?Traditional shikishi are associated with Japanese artistic inscription, where the written brushstroke itself can function as an expressive mark of identity and authority.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Chinese
色紙
“Colored paper; a compound of 色, “color,” and 紙, “paper.””
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
色紙
“A colored sheet or piece of paper; the source form borrowed into Japanese.”
Early Japanese
Japanese
しきし / 色紙
“A square piece of colored paper used for writing, painting, or inscription.”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
shikishi
“A formal square writing or painting surface, increasingly associated with calligraphic and artistic presentation.”
Modern English
English
shikishi
“A Japanese autograph board, calligraphy card, or decorative inscription board.”
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