姿勢
shisei[ɕise̞ː]
The English phrase "posture" is translated into Japanese as 姿勢 (shisei).
姿勢 is used to describe a person's physical body posture. Beyond physical positioning, it is also used metaphorically to describe a person's mental attitude or stance toward a specific task or issue.
Meaning: position of body (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 姿勢 is composed of the characters for "posture/appearance" (姿) and "state/condition" (勢).
How do you pronounce it?
shisei
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese arts like tea ceremony or calligraphy, the correct 姿勢 is considered a prerequisite for the art itself, meaning a piece is judged as 'wrong' if the artist's posture was incorrect while creating it.
- In Japanese culture, maintaining a good 姿勢 is often linked to moral character and discipline, whereas in English, 'posture' is frequently viewed as a purely aesthetic or medical concern.
- The character 勢 in 姿勢 implies a sense of momentum or power, suggesting that your posture is not just a static shape but a demonstration of your energy and presence.
Examples in context
- 彼女の 姿勢 はとても正しいです。Her posture is very correct.
- ビジネスの場では、 姿勢 は重要です。Good posture is important in business settings.
- 姿勢を良くしてください。Shisei o yoku shite kudasai.Please improve your posture.
- 正しい姿勢で座りましょう。Tadashii shisei de suwarimashou.Let's sit with correct posture.
Example conversation
At a yoga class, the instructor corrects a student's position.
- 健太 Kenta美咲さん、もっと姿勢を正してください。Misaki-san, motto shisei o tadashite kudasai.Misaki, please correct your posture more.
- 美咲 Misakiすみません、意識します。Sumimasen, ishiki shimasu.I'm sorry, I will be mindful of it.
- 健太 Kentaその姿勢はとても良いですよ。Sono shisei wa totemo ii desu yo.That posture is very good.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます！Arigatou gozaimasu!Thank you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “posture” translations and entries 姿勢, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
