shiatsu

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/ʃiːˈɑːt.suː//ʃiːˈæt.suː/

noun

A form of massage, using the thumbs and palms, employed as therapy.

Similar
acupressureG-Jo
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

nounshiatsu (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA form of massage, using the thumbs and palms, employed as therapy.

Synonyms & antonyms

nountreatment of symptoms by applying pressure with the fingers to specific pressure points on the body

Similar
acupressureG-Jo
Broader
treatmentintervention
Also see
acupressure

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Borrowed from Japanese 指(し)圧(あつ) (shiatsu), from Middle Chinese 指 (MC tsyijX, “finger”) + 壓 (MC 'aep, “downward force”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 指壓 /指压
  • 指壓 /指压 (zhǐyā)shiatsu
Finnish shiatsu
  • shiatsushiatsu
French shiatsu
  • shiatsushiatsu
German Shiatsu
  • Shiatsushiatsu
Japanese 指圧
  • 指圧 (shiatsu)shiatsu
Korean 지압
  • 지압 (jiap)shiatsu
Russian шиа́цу, сиа́цу
  • шиа́цу (šiácu)shiatsu
  • сиа́цу (siácu)shiatsu
  • акупрессу́ра (akupressúra)shiatsu
Spanish shiatsu, digitopuntura
  • shiatsushiatsu
  • digitopunturashiatsu

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

thiasus
Cite this entry
APA

shiatsu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shiatsu

MLA

“shiatsu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shiatsu. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shiatsu,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shiatsu.

Source: shiatsu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.