This is the 5435th most frequent Japanese word.
あぐら
Cross-legged sitting position.
In this sentence, 'あぐら' refers to the sitting posture where a person sits cross-legged, commonly used during meditation or relaxation.
彼は床に座り、あぐらをかいて瞑想を始めました。
He sat on the floor, crossed his legs, and began meditating.
Here, 'あぐらをかく' explicitly refers to the act of sitting cross-legged, explaining it's a particular posture not mandatory for all situations.
あぐらをかくのが難しい場合、椅子に座っても構いません。
If sitting cross-legged is difficult, you can sit on a chair instead.
In this example, 'あぐらをかいた' describes someone maintaining a cross-legged position while performing another activity, like reading.