tatami

American  

[tuh-tah-mee] / təˈtɑ mi /

noun

• tatami,
  plural
• tatamis
  plural

1. (in Japanese houses) any of a number of thick, woven straw mats of uniform dimensions, about 3 feet by 6 feet (91 centimeters by 183 centimeters), the placing of which determines the dimensions of an interior.

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tatami British  

/ təˈtɑːmɪ, tæˈtæmɪ /

noun

1. a thick rectangular mat of woven straw, used as a standard to measure a Japanese room

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• tatami
  plural
• tatamis
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of tatami

From Japanese, dating back to 1895–1900; noun use of the verb: “to fold up”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tatami

They later discovered termites under the tatami mats.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026

The two young opponents, clad in crisp white karategi with coloured belts and protective headgear, circled each other on the tatami, the floor covering used for practising Japanese martial arts.

From Barron's ● Nov. 17, 2025

Guests sit on tatami mats with a view of a Japanese garden with a waterfall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 1, 2025

It's unclear whether it has worked – Mr Hakamata still paces back and forth for hours, just as he did for years in a jail cell the size of three single tatami mats.

From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2024

Hanako stared stonily at the tatami, right at a hole.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

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