Learning the names of different types of buildings in Japanese can be incredibly useful, especially if you plan to visit or live in Japan. This article will introduce you to a variety of building types, from residential to commercial, along with their Japanese names and example sentences to help you understand how to use them in context.
家 (いえ – ie) – This word means “house” or “home” in Japanese. It refers to any residential building that is used as a living space.
私の家は静かな通りにあります。
マンション (まんしょん – manshon) – In Japan, this word refers to a large apartment complex or condominium. It is different from the English “mansion” which implies a very large and luxurious house.
新しいマンションに引っ越しました。
ビル (びる – biru) – This is a general term for a building, typically used to refer to commercial buildings like offices or multi-story buildings.
そのビルには多くのオフィスが入っています。
アパート (あぱーと – apaato) – Similar to the English “apartment,” this term is used for smaller apartment buildings or units.
彼は小さなアパートに住んでいます。
学校 (がっこう – gakkou) – This word means “school” and can refer to any educational institution.
子どもたちは学校に行っています。
病院 (びょういん – byouin) – This term refers to a “hospital” where medical treatment is provided.
病院は街の中心にあります。
銀行 (ぎんこう – ginkou) – This word means “bank,” referring to the financial institution where money transactions are conducted.
銀行は午前９時に開きます。
郵便局 (ゆうびんきょく – yuubinkyoku) – This refers to a “post office,” a place where mail and packages are handled.
手紙を郵便局で出しました。
図書館 (としょかん – toshokan) – This word means “library,” a place where books and other materials are available for reading.
図書館で勉強します。
博物館 (はくぶつかん – hakubutsukan) – This term means “museum,” a place where historical, artistic, or scientific artifacts are exhibited.
博物館に行って恐竜の展示を見ました。
警察署 (けいさつしょ – keisatsusho) – This refers to a “police station,” a place where police officers work and where public safety issues are addressed.
交通事故の報告のために警察署に行きました。
スーパーマーケット (すーぱーまーけっと – suupaa maaketto) – This translates to “supermarket,” a large retail store selling food and other household goods.
スーパーマーケットで週末の食料品を買いました。
コンビニ (こんびに – konbini) – Short for “convenience store,” these are small retail businesses that sell everyday items and are usually open 24 hours.
コンビニでおにぎりを買いました。
神社 (じんじゃ – jinja) – This word refers to a “Shinto shrine,” a place of worship in the Shinto religion.
お正月には神社で初詣をします。
寺 (てら – tera) – This term means “temple,” specifically Buddhist temples in Japan.
その寺には有名な仏像があります。
Understanding these terms can significantly enhance your ability to navigate through cities and communicate effectively while in Japan. Whether you are asking for directions, making plans to visit various places, or simply talking about your surroundings, knowing these building-related words in Japanese will prove to be very useful.
