How to say "inhabit" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 住むすむgodan verb, intransitive verbCovers 'inhabit' in its human sense — a person or household living, residing, or dwelling in a house, town, or country. This is the word you want for 'Where do you live?'
- 住まうすまうgodan verb, intransitive verbMeans much the same as 住む: to live, reside, or inhabit a place. For simply saying where someone lives, 住む does the job, so 住まう is seldom the word you need.
- 棲むすむgodan verb, intransitive verbThe 'inhabit' of animals: creatures living or nesting in a habitat — fish in a river, birds in a forest. A homophone of 住む, but choose it when the residents are animals rather than people.
Use 「住む」 when people live or reside somewhere, 「棲む」 when animals or creatures inhabit a habitat, and treat 「住まう」 as a near-synonym of 「住む」 that you will seldom need.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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