noun
altar cloth; antependium; patterned cloth for Buddhist altar or table
Refers to a decorative cloth spread on a Buddhist altar or a formal table, often with a traditional pattern. The term is primarily used in religious or ceremonial contexts.
お寺の本堂には美しい打敷がかけられていた。
A beautiful altar cloth was draped over the main hall of the temple.
法要の前に、打敷を新しいものに取り替えた。
Before the memorial service, we replaced the altar cloth with a new one.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant with okurigana; less common but still seen.
Compound of 打ち (uchi, 'striking' or 'spreading') and 敷 (shiki, 'spreading' or 'laying'), referring to a cloth that is spread out. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used in Buddhist contexts for centuries.