仲居・中居|なかいnakai[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
仲居仲居 is the common written form for a waitress or hostess in a ryokan or traditional restaurant; use it when writing this meaning.
中居中居 is a rarely used variant written entirely in kanji; learners will seldom need to choose it when referring to a waitress or hostess.
Definitions
- nounwaitress (in a ryokan or traditional restaurant); hostess
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymウェイトレスNeutralKatakana loanword from English, neutral in register; the everyday word for a waitress, but it does not carry the traditional-ryokan nuance of 仲居.
Use ウェイトレス for waitresses in ordinary or Western-style restaurants; use 仲居 only for women serving guests in a ryokan or traditional Japanese restaurant.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents


