origami

Everyday

The Japanese art of folding paper into shapes like birds, animals and boxes, usually without cutting or glue. tree →

In the lessons

In art and maths lessons, origami teaches following steps, symmetry, fractions (folding in half, quarters) and shapes (squares, triangles). A famous model is the paper crane; in Japan, folding 1000 cranes is linked to wishes and peace. Phrases: «origami crane», «origami paper», «fold an origami frog».

Examples

• We made an origami frog that can jump. tree →
• Origami usually starts with a square piece of paper. tree →
• Folding the paper in half makes two equal rectangles. tree →
• Sadako folded origami cranes while she was in hospital. tree →
• Origami helped us learn about lines of symmetry. tree →
• My nan taught me origami on a rainy day. tree →

Note

Uncountable: «some origami», «an origami model» (not «an origami» in careful speech). Japanese word: «ori» = fold, «kami» = paper. Pronounced or-i-GAH-mee. Similar art: kirigami (folding and cutting).