English–Japanese

“sitting on one's heels” in Japanese

Japanese

Pronunciation

Romajiseiza

Example

先生の前で正座しました。sen sei no mae de sei za shi ma shi ta

I sat on my heels in front of the teacher.

Illustration for 正座 (sitting on one's heels)

How to say “sitting on one's heels” in Japanese

“Sitting on one's heels” in Japanese is 正座 (seiza).

正座 (seiza) places the body directly over folded legs and tucked feet, creating a stable posture associated with attentive presence.

Full entry for 正座: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 正座

畳の上では、正座をすると気持ちが引き締まります。tatami no ue de wa sei za o su ru to ki mo chi ga hi ki shi ma ri ma su

Sitting on my heels on a tatami mat makes me feel more focused.

Tips for using 正座

  • 正座 (seiza) is commonly used in tea ceremony and other traditional settings, where maintaining the posture forms part of the surrounding etiquette.

“sitting on one's heels” in other languages