How to say "pub" in Japanese

• パブCommon
  nounThe loanword for a pub in the British sense — a place serving beer and other drinks in a relaxed, Western-style setting. Use this when 'pub' is exactly what you mean.
  あのパブではビールを水増みずまししているのではないか。↗

  I suspect they water down the beer in that pub.
• 酒場さかばJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounA general word for a drinking place — literally a 'place for sake'. It covers bars, pubs and taverns alike, so it suits general talk about drinking spots rather than one specific kind.
  彼かれはその酒場さかばで歯医者はいしゃに成なりすましていた。↗

  He posed as a dentist at that bar.
• 飲み屋のみやCommon
  nounLiterally a 'drinking shop': a casual place to drop in for a few drinks, such as a small neighborhood bar after work. For a specifically British pub, パブ is the closer fit.
  ここはいい飲み屋のみやのようだ。↗

  This looks like a nice watering hole.
• バーJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounPrimarily 'bar': an establishment centered on a counter serving cocktails and other drinks. Its 'pub' sense is secondary, so for a British-style pub パブ is usually the word you want.
  二人ふたりの男おとこはバーで飲のんでいた。↗

  The two men were drinking in a bar.

Use 「パブ」 for a British-style pub; 「飲み屋」 for a casual local drinking spot; 酒場 as a general word for a drinking place; and 「バー」 mainly when you mean a bar rather than a pub.

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

• パブpub
• 酒場さかばbar
• 飲み屋のみやbar
• バーbar
• パブリックハウスpub
• 酒家しゅかliquor store
• ビアバーbar
• 縄のれんなわのれんbar