noun
seat; place to sit
A physical seat or place to sit, such as a chair, cushion, or designated spot.
どうぞお座りください。こちらの座におかけください。
Please sit down. Please take this seat.
noun
One's position, rank, or status in an organization, field, or society.
彼は業界で確固たる座を築いた。
He established a solid position in the industry.
noun
gathering; party; company; atmosphere
A social gathering or the atmosphere of such a gathering. Often used in phrases like 座が白ける (the mood falls flat) or 座が盛り上がる (the party livens up).
彼の冗談で座が白けた。
His joke killed the mood of the gathering.
楽しい話で座が盛り上がった。
The party livened up with fun stories.
noun
A stand, pedestal, or platform for displaying an object, such as a statue or vase.
花瓶を座に置いて飾る。
Place the vase on a stand for display.
noun
trade guild
Historical term for a trade guild or association of merchants or artisans in pre-modern Japan.
江戸時代には、様々な職人たちが座を組織していた。
In the Edo period, various craftsmen organized trade guilds.
suffix
constellation suffix
Suffix attached to the names of constellations, e.g., オリオン座 (Orion), おおぐま座 (Ursa Major).
オリオン座は冬の夜空でよく見える。
The constellation Orion is often visible in the winter night sky.
suffix
theatre/cinema/troupe suffix
Suffix attached to the names of theatres, cinemas, and theatrical troupes, e.g., 劇団四季座.
あの映画は渋谷の東急座で上映されている。
That movie is showing at the Tokyu-za cinema in Shibuya.
suffix, counter
counter for theatres, deities, etc.
Counter used for theatres, deities, Buddhist images, tall mountains, and satokagura songs. Rare and specialized.
See also: 里神楽
この地域には三座の神社がある。
There are three Shinto shrines in this area.
席 is the common word for a seat or one's place at a table, meeting, or event. 座 is more literary or abstract, often used in set phrases or for a designated sitting area.
地位 is the standard word for social or professional status. 座 is more figurative and often implies a hard-won or established position.
The kanji 座 originally depicts a roof over a sitting area, representing a place to sit. The reading ざ is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi. The word has developed many extended meanings from the core idea of a seat or fixed place.