washi

noun

ˈwä-shē 

variants or washi paper

plural washi or washi papers

: a traditional Japanese handmade paper noted for its durability

Washi is a paper formed from the bark of shrubs and trees. You can make a nice pastel or watercolor on it, and it's used in shoji [paper doors] to dim sunlight."

—Keiko Seya, quoted in New York Times

Of the different types of washi the National Archives utilizes for conservation, washi made from the … paper mulberry is the most commonly used because it has long fibers and excels in flexibility and strength.

—Takanori Yamamoto

The fans, which are made from bamboo and Japanese washi paper, come with a black lacquered box …

—Hilary Reid

compare washi tape

Examples of washi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Vautin has created a true stationery smorgasbord, stuffed with creamy notebooks, wax seals, fountain pens and inks, wee porcelain bowls, mini-colored-pencil sets, gift wrap, highlighter pens, Hobonichi planners, a bounty of illustrated stickers, and washi-tape rolls by the dozen. —Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026

Label, Label, Label Jessica Haizman, a viral organization expert on TikTok, recommends labeling food storage containers with dry erase markers, labels, or washi tape. —Kristin Corpuz, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2026

As the legend goes, 1,500 years ago, a goddess appeared upstream of the Okamoto River and instructed Echizen villagers on how to make washi—and it’s been producing Japanese paper ever since. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026

How about some washi tape printed with strawberries or a jigsaw puzzle of the Appalachian Trail? —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese, from wa- "Japan" + shi "paper"

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing washi

• washi tape