torii

American  

[tawr-ee-ee] / ˈtɔr iˌi /

noun

torii plural

1. (in Japan) a form of decorative gateway or portal, consisting of two upright wooden posts connected at the top by two horizontal crosspieces, commonly found at the entrance to Shinto shrines.

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torii British  

/ ˈtɔːrɪˌiː /

noun

1. a gateway, esp one at the entrance to a Japanese Shinto temple

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• torii
  plural

Etymology

Origin of torii

First recorded in 1720–30; from Japanese, equivalent to tori “bird” + (w)i “perch”

Example Sentences

On South Seaside Avenue they saw a torii gate like one sees at a Shinto shrine, historical plaques and a bronze pair of Japanese fishermen gazing at Fish Harbor, where their village once stood.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2024

Behind a tall torii gate, a larger-than-life statue of a kamikaze pilot is flanked by a huge wall painted with Japan’s wartime Rising Sun flag.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2023

From youthful eyes, he says, Seward Park and its torii bespoke “family time,” a cheerful refuge.

From Seattle Times • May 5, 2022

The torii gates at Fushimi Inari-taisha, a sacred Shinto shrine dating from 711 AD are beyond spectacular.

From Washington Post

It might be well to explain that a torii consists of two upright columns several feet apart.

From Travels in the Far East by Peck, Ellen Mary Hayes