How to say "bar" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe loanword for a bar as a drinking establishment — the kind of place with a counter where drinks are mixed and served. Use it for a night out or a hotel bar.
- 酒場さかばnounA general word for a place where people drink — literally an 'alcohol place'. It covers bars, pubs and taverns without pinning down any particular style of establishment.
- 飲み屋のみやnounA place to go for drinks, with a casual, unpretentious feel — literally a 'drinking shop'. The natural choice when telling friends you feel like going out for a drink.ここはいい飲み屋のようだ。↗This looks like a nice watering hole.
- 縞しまnoun (suffix), no-adjectiveThis is the pattern sense: a stripe or streak — a band of color or light, as in striped designs. It has nothing to do with drinking establishments.
- 締め出すしめだすgodan verb, transitive verbThe verb: to bar someone from a place — to shut them out, lock them out, or exclude them. Think of being locked out of a building or barred from entering.
Three of these are places to drink: 「バー」 is the bar itself, while 酒場 and 「飲み屋」 are broader words for drinking spots; 縞 is a stripe or streak, and 「締め出す」 is the verb 'to bar'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- バーbar
- 酒場さかばbar
- 飲み屋のみやbar
- 縞しまstripe
- 締め出すしめだすto shut out
- 突っ張りつっぱりprop
- バールbar
- 小節しょうせつbar
- かんぬきbar
- スタンドバーbar
- 心張り棒しんばりぼうbar (e.g. on a door)
- ビアバーbar
- 横木よこぎcrosspiece
- 酒処さけどころdrinking place
- 飲酒店いんしゅてんdrinking establishment
- 酒肆しゅしliquor shop
- 酒家しゅかliquor store
- 延べ棒のべぼう(metal) bar
- カウンターcounter (at a bar, cafe, etc.)
- バールbar (unit of pressure)
- 酒蔵さかぐらbar
- 用心棒ようじんぼうbar (on a door)
- 縄のれんなわのれんbar
- 桟さんcrosspiece
- つっぺ(door) bar
See also
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