How to say "hospital" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 病院びょういんnounCovers the everyday senses of 'hospital', including a clinic or doctor's office. This is the word you want in almost any context, from visiting a large hospital to seeing a local doctor.
- nounA loanword meaning 'hospital'. It is less common than 病院 and is seldom the word you want in ordinary speech; you will mostly encounter it in names, signs, or stylistic uses.
- 病舎びょうしゃnounGlossed as 'hospital', but its core senses are infirmary and ward, so it is a poor everyday choice for 'hospital'. Use it only for a building or facility housing sick people, such as within an institution.
Use 病院 for any ordinary hospital or doctor's office; 「ホスピタル」 is a loanword that is much less common, and 病舎 mainly means an infirmary or ward rather than a hospital.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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