Japanese word

こたつ

Pronunciation

Romajikotatsu

Meaning

  • nounheated table

Example

家族でこたつを囲みます。ka zoku de ko ta tsu o kako mi ma su

My family gathers around the heated table.

Illustration for こたつ (heated table)

More examples

寒くなったので、こたつを出しました。samu ku na tta no de ko ta tsu o da shi ma shi ta

Since it got cold, I brought out the kotatsu.

Core concept

Centers warmth beneath a low table so people can gather around it in comfort.

Common phrases

  • こたつを囲むko ta tsu o kako mu

    gather around a kotatsu

  • こたつに入るko ta tsu ni hai ru

    get under a kotatsu

  • こたつで暖まるko ta tsu de atata ma ru

    warm oneself under a kotatsu

  • こたつを出すko ta tsu o da su

    bring out a kotatsu

Definition in Japanese

やぐらの下に暖房器具を備え、布団をかけて使う低い机。ya gu ra no shita ni dan bō ki gu o sona e fu ton o ka ke te tsuka u hiku i tsukue

Word origin

こたつ (kotatsu) traces back to Middle Chinese 火榻子 (kotatsu), a term for a brazier under a raised platform, and is traditionally written 炬燵 (kotatsu) in Japanese.

Usage tips

  • In English-language writing about Japanese homes, こたつ (kotatsu) is often kept as a cultural term because its blanket-covered table combines heating with a shared sitting place.

Word lists with this word