noun
General term for floor coverings such as carpets, rugs, and mats. Often used for Western-style carpets and large rugs.
リビングに新しい敷物を敷いた。
I laid a new rug in the living room.
この敷物はウールでできている。
This carpet is made of wool.
noun
floor mat; mattress; quilt spread on the floor
Refers to items spread on the floor or ground for sitting or sleeping, such as tatami mats, zabuton cushions, futons, or picnic sheets. Emphasizes the act of spreading something out.
座布団も敷物の一種です。
A zabuton cushion is also a type of floor mat.
花見のとき、地面に敷物を敷いて座った。
During cherry blossom viewing, we spread a mat on the ground and sat.
noun
spread; cloth cover; coaster
Used for smaller cloths or covers placed on surfaces, such as tablecloths, placemats, doilies, or coasters. Often implies a protective or decorative layer.
テーブルに敷物を敷いてから料理を並べた。
I spread a cloth on the table and then arranged the dishes.
コップの下に敷物を置いてください。
Please put a coaster under the glass.
カーペット specifically refers to Western-style carpets, often wall-to-wall, while 敷物 is a broader term covering all types of floor coverings including traditional Japanese mats.
マット is a loanword for mats, often smaller and functional (e.g., bath mat, doormat). 敷物 is more general and can include larger rugs and traditional items.
ござ is a traditional woven rush mat, usually thin and foldable. 敷物 is a broader category that includes ござ but also carpets, rugs, and other coverings.
Compound of 敷き (shiki, continuative form of 敷く 'to spread') + 物 (mono, 'thing'). Literally 'spreading thing'.