敷く
Meaning in Englishto spread out, to lay out
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
What does 敷く mean? It means to lay down or spread something on a surface, commonly for physical items like tatami mats, carpets, or bedding, and it can also be used figuratively to lay out plans, foundations, or rules.
Main meanings
- lay down or spread over a surface such as tatami, carpet, or bedding
- lay out or spread something flat, like a map or fabric
- establish or set up something in a figurative sense, such as plans, rules, or a foundation
How to use it
Used in physical contexts such as placing tatami, carpets, bedding, or mats, and in figurative contexts to lay out plans, arrangements, or foundations. The verb takes a direct object with を for the thing laid and に for the location; common in both everyday speech and formal writing.
Variants and close terms
- 敷く — shiku — lay down, spread
- 敷設する — fusetsu suru — lay down infrastructure or cables
- 広げる — hirogeru — spread out; related but broader nuance
Composition
- 敷 expresses the idea of spreading or applying over a surface; く is the verb ending that forms 敷く into a transitive verb meaning to lay down or spread.
Etymology
敷く is a native kun-reading verb; the character conveys the idea of spreading or applying a surface, and the verb form く attaches to express the action in modern Japanese; no major phonetic shifts are evident in contemporary use.
Word class
verb (godan, 五段動詞)