torii

American  

[tawr-ee-ee] / ˈtɔr iˌi /

noun

plural

torii

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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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

It’s not like those we’ve passed so far: Most have been small and tidy, with well-made torii gates and statues, sometimes, of Jizo Bodhisattva, guardian of travelers.

From Washington Post

All the beautiful gateways or torii, as they are called, are works of art.

From The Critic in the Orient by Fitch, George Hamlin