A generic term used to express the distance between two flat, adjacent surfaces, between the surface of a wall and a post for instance. If two surfaces are slightly unevenly placed, chiri means the difference in height between them. Another example is if the ground sill *dodai 土台 extends out from the surface of a post; that distance is also called chiri. A further example can be found on a common style of gate called *heijūmon 塀重門 which has paneled doors that are ornamented with double diagonally placed thin strips of wood. Surrounding these panels are narrow wooden members placed in a grid pattern *igeta 井桁, inserted into the door frames. A tiny margin of space between them and surface of the frames is called chiri. Where a wall surface and posts come together the posts generally extend from 1.0 cm to 1.5 cm out from the wall surface. This small difference is also called chiri.
