The term is also said to be an abbreviation for "sansuiseki" or "sansuikeiseki"(landscape stone) which was held important as an ornament in tokonoma (an alcove in a traditional Japanese room where art or flowers are displayed), a reminder of landscape scenery at tea ceremonies and the like in ancient Japanese court-noble and samurai societies.
また、古来、日本の公家社会・武家社会の茶席などで、床の間を飾る置物として、山水景を感じとれる石として重用された「山水石」もしくは「山水景石」が省略されたものであるという説もある。