Japanese word

壇

Pronunciation

Romajidan

Meaning

  • nounplatform

Example

壇に上がって話します。dan ni a ga tte hana shi ma su

I go up onto the platform and speak.

Illustration for 壇 (platform)

More examples

式が終わると、校長先生は壇から降ります。shiki ga o wa ru to kō chō sen sei wa dan ka ra o ri ma su

When the ceremony ends, the principal comes down from the platform.

Core concept

Refers to a raised place that gives a speaker or religious leader a visible and formal position before an audience.

Common phrases

  • 壇に上がるdan ni a ga ru

    go up onto the platform

  • 壇から降りるdan ka ra o ri ru

    come down from the platform

Similar words

演壇endan: A platform from which a speaker delivers a formal speech.
講壇kōdan: A platform from which a lecturer or preacher addresses an audience.

Definition in Japanese

話し手や宗教者が人々の前で話すために立つ、一段高い場所。hana shi te ya shū kyō sha ga hito bito no mae de hana su ta me ni ta tsu ichi dan taka i ba sho

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese noun 壇 (dan, "raised platform") comes from a character combining 土 (do, "earth") with 亶 (tan, a sound element), recalling a platform built up from earth.

Usage tips

  • Japanese uses 壇 (dan) for both a speaker's platform and a religious pulpit, while English usually selects a more specific word for each setting.

Other meanings

  • podiumnoun
  • pulpitnoun

Word lists with this word