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shiatsu

American

[shee-aht-soo] / ʃiˈɑt su /

Or shiatzu

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter)

a Japanese massage technique that includes the use of acupressure.

shiatsu British

/ ˌʃiːˈætsuː /

noun

Also called: acupressure. massage in which pressure is applied to the same points of the body as in acupuncture

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of shiatsu

< Japanese < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese chǐ finger + yā pressure

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Apparently she wants skin cream, candles, cheap jewelry, expensive pajamas, aromatherapy shower pods, and a pillow that does heated shiatsu massage.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

Miran is a gardener and a practitioner of shiatsu, a Japanese therapy similar to acupuncture, according to a biographical video released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 11, 2025

Does it replicate, as the Miko website says, “the authentic shiatsu massage experience you get from a professional massage therapist”? Maybe not quite.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023

A shiatsu mode will apparently rub your palms with firm pressure, while a “thimble” mode will pull and stretch each finger one by one.

From The Verge • Dec. 31, 2021

In any case, knowing a few free ways to treat yourself can be helpful when you’re feeling low and convincing yourself you deserve that shiatsu foot massager you can’t afford.

From Washington Times • Apr. 21, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023