1.
seat; bench; stool
A place for sitting, especially a simple seat like a bench or stool.
庭に腰掛けがある。
There is a bench in the garden.
木の腰掛けに座って休んだ。
I sat down on a wooden stool and rested.
公園の腰掛けで本を読んでいる人がいた。
There was someone reading a book on a park bench.
2.
temporary position; stepping stone
A job or position that someone takes only temporarily, treating it as a stepping stone to something better.
この仕事は腰掛けだ。
This job is just temporary.
腰掛けのつもりで入った会社に長くいる。
I've been at the company a long time, even though I only meant it to be temporary.
結婚までの腰掛けとして働いている女性も少なくなかった。
There were many women who worked only as a stopgap until marriage.
USAGE:
Sense 1 is a straightforward word for a simple seat or bench. Sense 2 is figurative and somewhat negative, implying that the person is not fully committed to the position.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 腰掛けに座る (to sit on a bench)
- 腰掛け仕事 (temporary job, stopgap position)
- 腰掛けのつもり (intending it to be temporary)
WORD FORMATION:
From 腰 (waist/hip) + 掛ける (to hang/rest), literally "a place to rest your hips."