Reference
Origami Glossary
Every origami term you need to know, from basic folds to advanced techniques and traditional bases.
Base
A standardized starting shape from which many different models can be folded. Learning bases is key to understanding origami design.
Bird Base
A key intermediate form in origami made by performing petal folds on the preliminary base. It is the foundation for the traditional crane and many other bird and animal designs.
Blintz Base
Formed by folding all four corners of a square to the center. A common starting point for many models.
Copy Paper
Standard printer paper (80 gsm). Not ideal for origami but universally available. Good enough for practice and simple models.
Crease
The line left in paper after a fold is made and opened. Creases can be mountain (ridge) or valley (groove).
Crease Pattern
A diagram showing all the fold lines needed to create an origami model, displayed on an unfolded square. Advanced folders use crease patterns to design and replicate complex models without step-by-step instructions.
Crimp Fold
A pair of reverse folds made simultaneously to change the angle of a point or limb. Commonly used to shape legs, tails, and other appendages on animal models.
Duo Paper
Origami paper with a different color on each side. Creates beautiful two-tone effects in models that expose both sides.
Edge
The outer boundary of the paper or model. Most folds align with or relate to edges.
Fish Base
Formed from a kite base with additional folds, used for fish, frog, and other models.
Flap
A section of paper that can be lifted or moved independently. Models are designed by manipulating flaps into desired shapes.
Frog Base
Made from the preliminary base with squash folds on all four flaps, creating 8 narrow points. Used for lilies and frogs.
Inside Reverse Fold
A reverse fold where the point is pushed between the layers of the model, going inside. Used for heads, tails, and legs.
Kami
Traditional Japanese origami paper. It is thin, holds creases well, and typically comes in 15 cm (6 inch) squares. One side is colored and the other is white. The most common paper for origami worldwide.
Kite Base
A simple origami base formed by folding two adjacent edges of a square to the center diagonal crease, creating a kite-like diamond shape. Used as a starting point for foxes, birds, and other simple models.
Kraft Paper
Strong brown paper originally used for packaging. Affordable and available in large sheets, good for practice and large models.
Modular Origami
A branch of origami where multiple identical units (modules) are folded and assembled without glue to form larger geometric structures like cubes, stars, and polyhedra.
Mountain Fold
The opposite of a valley fold. The paper is folded away from you, creating a ridge or mountain shape. Diagrams show this as a dash-dot-dash line.
Outside Reverse Fold
A reverse fold where the point wraps around the outside of the model. Less common than inside reverse folds.
Petal Fold
A compound fold that lifts a single layer of paper upward while the edges fold inward. Central to creating the bird base and many advanced models including the crane.
Pleat Fold
Two parallel folds (one mountain, one valley) made close together, creating an accordion-like step in the paper. Used for wings, tails, and decorative elements.
Point
A narrow, protruding section of paper in a model. Points become heads, tails, legs, wings, and other features.
Preliminary Base
One of the fundamental origami starting shapes. A square of paper is collapsed into a smaller square with four flaps. It serves as the starting point for the bird base and many other models.
Rabbit Ear Fold
Three valley folds that converge at a single point, causing a triangular flap to rise up. Named because the result looks like a rabbit's ear.
Reverse Fold
A fold that reverses the direction of a point by pushing it inside (inside reverse fold) or outside (outside reverse fold) the model. Used to form heads, tails, and legs.
Sink Fold
An advanced fold that pushes a point of paper inside the model along existing crease lines. Open sinks are easier; closed sinks are among the most difficult folds in origami.
Squash Fold
A fold where you open a flap of paper and flatten (squash) it into a new shape. Used to transition between bases and create flat surfaces from pointed flaps.
Swivel Fold
A fold where one layer pivots around a point while another layer folds flat. Common in complex models for changing the angle of flaps.
Tant
Thick, textured Japanese origami paper with color on both sides. Holds creases extremely well and is ideal for geometric and modular designs.
Tissue Foil
Paper made by laminating tissue paper to aluminum foil. Extremely thin yet holds shape permanently. Used for complex models.
Valley Fold
The most basic origami fold. The paper is folded toward you so the crease forms a valley shape when viewed from the side. In diagrams, it is shown as a dashed line.
Washi
Traditional Japanese handmade paper with visible fibers. Beautiful but harder to fold precisely. Best for decorative and display models.
Waterbomb Base
A fundamental origami base that creates a triangle shape with two layers on each side. It is the inverse of the preliminary base and is used for butterflies, frogs, and the traditional waterbomb.
Wet Folding
A technique pioneered by Akira Yoshizawa where the paper is slightly dampened before folding. This allows for soft, rounded, sculptural shapes instead of sharp creases. Best used with thick paper like watercolor paper.