1.
facing mirrors; two mirrors placed opposite each other
Two mirrors positioned face-to-face so that they reflect each other, creating an infinite regression of images. Used practically to see the back of one's own head, and metaphorically in literature and culture.
Composed of 合わせる (to put together, to face) + 鏡 (mirror). The word describes both the physical setup and the visual effect of infinite reflections. Common in hair salons and barbershops.
Common collocations
- 合わせ鏡で見る: to look using facing mirrors
- 合わせ鏡にする: to set up as facing mirrors
- 合わせ鏡の効果: the facing-mirror effect
Cultural note
In Japanese superstition, 合わせ鏡は不吉 (facing mirrors are unlucky). Some believe that spirits gather between facing mirrors, or that looking into them at midnight brings bad luck. This motif frequently appears in horror stories and supernatural fiction.