torii

[prettygoodword]

torii - n., a gateway to a Shinto shrine.


You've seen the type, two posts with one straight lower and one projecting concave upper crossbar, looking rather like a bird perch -- which they may be intended as. Exact etymology in Japanese is uncertain, but the kanji ( 鳥居 ) can be read as bird + perch or place. Wiki for more.

---L.

Comments

[returnoftheblog.livejournal.com]

Am I a geek for always thinking of the symbol for Pi whenever I see one of these?

They also remind me of Stonehenge, and I'm tempted to say they're related on some level, but something tells me that any similarities I might see are just coincidence. Maybe people just like archways.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

But Π only has one crossbar!

---L.

[returnoftheblog.livejournal.com]

It's...*thinks* It's a Pi symbol with a spoiler, like on a sports car! Yeah, that's it!