shikiri means the preparation time before a sumo bout during which the rikishi try to gain a psychological advantage by intense staring (niramiai) and when salt is ceremonially thrown (kiyome-jio). It carries an Arena rating of 1384, earned across 44 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, shikiri ranks #1,338 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #1,717 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words, #2,767 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,807 of 17,140 for Most Whimsical Words.
Why “shikiri” is a great word
SHIKIRI — [Noun] The formal preparatory ritual preceding a sumo bout, encompassing the ceremonial acts and mutual intimidation designed to establish psychological dominance. From Japanese 仕切り (shikiri), meaning 'partition', 'arrangement', or 'settlement'. Unlike *niramiai* (which names only the fierce, silent staring contest) or *shiko* (which denotes the specific, earth-shaking leg-stomping exercise), *shikiri* is the entire charged theater of approach and retreat. It is the hypnotic arc of salt flung to purify the clay, the seismic shudder of a planted foot, and the charged, motionless tension of two colossal figures frozen in a vow of violence—a ritualized partition of will, carved from stillness before the collision.
Etymology
From Japanese 仕切り (shikiri).
noun
- the preparation time before a sumo bout during which the rikishi try to gain a psychological advantage by intense staring (niramiai) and when salt is ceremonially thrown (kiyome-jio)
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- niramiai 77% match — The staredown between sumo wrestlers before a match. vs shikiri →
- tachiai 57% match — The initial charge towards each other by the rikishi at the start of a sumo bout. vs shikiri →
- degeiko 55% match — A practice session between rikishi of competing heya. vs shikiri →
- sonkyo 55% match — The calm, straight-backed squat, following the shiko exercises, in mental preparation for the tachiai vs shikiri →
- shikho 54% match — A kneeling posture with joined hands and bowed head, used in Burma to show respect to a superior. vs shikiri →
- kimarite 52% match — any of the 82 techniques that may be used to win a match vs shikiri →
- tsuyuharai 51% match — a heralding attendant who walks in front of a yokozuna at his dohyo-iri ceremony vs shikiri →
- rikishi 51% match — A sumo wrestler. vs shikiri →