How to say "cellar" in Japanese

Choosing the right word

蔵くらJLPT N1approx.Common
nounCovers cellar in the storage sense: a storehouse for goods such as sake or foodstuffs. Its core meaning is storehouse or warehouse, so think of a storage place rather than an underground room.
地下室ちかしつCommon
nounThe cellar as an underground room: the level of a building below ground. If what you picture is the basement of a house or building, this is the word you want.
地下室ちかしつは汚きたなくて、暗くらくて、臭においの。↗
The cellar is ugly, dark, and stinky.
セラーCommon
nounThe loanword. It is used especially of a wine cellar, and that is where it fits naturally; for other kinds of cellar, one of the words above will usually fit better.

Use 地下室 for a cellar as an underground room or basement, 蔵 for a cellar as a storage place for goods such as sake, and 「セラー」 for the loanword, typically a wine cellar.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese equivalents

蔵くらwarehouse
地下室ちかしつcellar
穴蔵あなぐらcellar
室むろgreenhouse
地階ちかいbasement
カーブ(wine) cellar
セラーcellar

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