Zaisu
/ˈzaɪsuː/noun
A Japanese chair with a backrest but no legs, designed for sitting on the floor.
Did you know?Zaisu chairs were developed to combine Western-style back support with traditional Japanese floor seating, especially on tatami mats.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
坐
“To sit; the source of the Japanese reading za in 座.”
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
椅子
“Chair; the source of Japanese isu.”
Medieval Japanese
Japanese
座（ざ）
“A seat, sitting place, or organized group; written with the character 座.”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
座椅子（ざいす）
“A floor chair, literally combining 座, “sitting,” with 椅子, “chair.””
20th Century
Japanese
zaisu
“A legless chair used with floor seating and tatami.”
Modern English
English
zaisu
“A Japanese-style floor chair adopted as an English loanword.”