Everyday life

futon

A futon was first a round cushion of woven bulrushes on which Chinese Buddhist monks sat to meditate; in Japan it became bedding, and in America a sofa-bed on a folding frame, the sense that then spread to Europe.

Weakest linkProbable

The road to English

From Middle Chinese to Mandarin Chinese

From English to American English

From American English to German

From American English to French

From American English to Spanish

From American English to Russian

800 CEMiddle Chinese

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

Export “futon”

Embed “futon”

Save “futon”

Export “futon”

Embed “futon”

Save “futon”