1.
vinyl sheet; plastic tarp; ground sheet
A large flat piece of vinyl or plastic material used as a ground cover, protective sheet, or tarp. Commonly used for picnics, outdoor events, construction sites, and disaster preparedness.
A wasei-eigo (Japanese-English compound) from ビニール (vinyl) + シート (sheet). In English, the closest equivalents are "tarp," "ground sheet," or "plastic sheet" depending on the context. The blue vinyl tarps (ブルーシート) seen at construction sites and disaster areas are the most iconic type.
Common collocations
- ビニールシートを敷く: to spread out a vinyl sheet
- ビニールシートで覆う: to cover with a vinyl sheet
- ビニールシートを張る: to stretch/put up a tarp
- 防水ビニールシート: waterproof vinyl sheet
Cultural note
In Japan, ビニールシート is closely associated with 花見 (cherry blossom viewing) and other outdoor gatherings. People spread blue sheets under trees to claim spots in parks. At construction sites and after natural disasters, blue tarps (ブルーシート) are ubiquitous.