How to say "residence" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 家いえnounCovers the building where someone lives, and also the warmer sense of 'home'; when English 'residence' just means a person's house, this is the word you want.
- 住宅じゅうたくnounSees the dwelling as a building: it matches 'housing' and 'residential building,' so it suits contexts where a residence is discussed as a structure or as housing, not as somebody's home.
- 屋敷やしきnounSuggests a grand residence with land around it — an estate with its grounds and premises; it is the word for a stately dwelling, not for an ordinary house.
- 居住きょじゅうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbNames the act or state of living somewhere — 'living (at, in)' — rather than a building; an abstract noun for the fact of residing, not a word for a house or home.
- 駐在ちゅうざいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbSeldom the word you want for 'residence' as a dwelling: it means being stationed or staying somewhere, typically a job posting overseas, so it concerns a posting, not a place one lives.
Use 家 for the house or home one lives in, 住宅 for housing and residential buildings, 屋敷 for a grand estate with grounds, 居住 for the state of living somewhere, and 駐在 for a work posting.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 家いえhouse
- 住宅じゅうたくresidence
- 屋敷やしきresidence
- 居住きょじゅうresidence
- 駐在ちゅうざいresidence
- 住所じゅうしょaddress (of a home, business, etc.)
- 住まいすまいdwelling
- 住居じゅうきょdwelling
- 邸宅ていたく(large) house
- レジデンスresidence
- 居留きょりゅうresidence
- 邸ていresidence
- 居きょresidence
- 居宅きょたくresidence
- 舎宅しゃたくresidence
- 居館きょかんresidence
- 在居ざいきょstay
- 居在きょざいstay
- 住屋じゅうおくdwelling
- 住処すみかdwelling
See also
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