The kanji 畳 generally means "tatami mat" or "to fold". It refers to the traditional Japanese floor covering made from woven rush grass and used in homes and temples. It also carries the meaning of stacking or piling up, related to the folding and layering of the mat itself.

・On-yomi (音読み): * ジョウ (jō) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): * たたみ (tatami)

⚫︎ 畳の部屋 (tatami no heya) Translation: Tatami room ⚫︎ 畳む (tatamu) Translation: To fold (something) ⚫︎ 一畳 (ichijō) Translation: One tatami mat

The kanji 畳 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), which means a character combining a semantic (meaning) component and a phonetic (sound) component. The top component represents "grass" or "straw", suggesting the material used to make tatami mats. The bottom component is believed to be related to "to pile up" or "to fold". The overall meaning is formed by the association of the components; the grass-like material is folded or stacked to create a mat. The character's form evolved over time, simplifying from earlier, more complex forms.